In The Rain
by Advi
Summary: A Handsome Demon Lord and a beautiful kind girl from the future encounter each other in pouring rain. Will sparks fly? Poetry format for chapters 1 to 18 and Story Format for chapters 19 to 21. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Inuyasha or any of the other characters. If I did, I wouldn't be doing this…

_**In the Rain**_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Walking alone in the rain,

Walking alone under her pink umbrella

Kagome strolled through the forest in pouring rain

Summer rains, so sudden, so very heavy

Mud weighted her shoes down.

She walked in pouring rain

And saw a tall figure in the distance

Taking shelter under a far away tree.

Walking alone in the rain,

She walked up to this lone figure

Sesshoumaru, lord of the West

Stood tall and drenched

As the beautiful Kagome walked to him

"What do you want?" He asked

She pushed her umbrella to him,

"I have another," she says with a warm smile

He scowled and ignored her.

She stood near to him and sheltered him from the pouring rain

"Summer rains are so heavy aren't they," she asked.

He looked at her

"Leave me alone," he said.

"Take my umbrella," she said again with a smile

He stared into her warm brown eyes

"I don't need it," said the handsome lord

"You'll get wet," said the beautiful and kind Kagome

"I am already wet," he said coldly

She looked away and said, "I will leave you only if you take it."

He looked at her, he was tall and she short,

He saw her standing high on the roots

She smiled at him,

A warm smile

He took her umbrella

Her smile warmed his cold heart

The beautiful Kagome stepped away

And slipped

But before she fell to the ground

In his single arm, he caught her

His silver locks fell

Like a curtain

Brushing softly against her

His golden eyes boring into hers

Drops of rain fell on them

But they ignored it

Becoming lost in each others eyes

Time stopped

As they drowned

In each other's gaze

She forgot to breath

Her heart skipped a beat

Suddenly he stood

And helped her to her feet

Yet her eyes

Could not leave his

As his could not hers

Hand in hand

His large over her small

Their fingers slowly brushed

From each others touch

Blushing, she took her umbrella

And ran away

He watched as she ran

In the rain

He watched

As his heart pounded faster

In the rain

As she ran away from him

His golden orbs burnt into her memory

Her heart started to beat

Faster and faster

For him

His eyes…

Her enemy

She was none of his concern

In the rain

He watched her go

Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West

Stepped from his shelter

To watch the beautiful Kagome

Run away

In the rain.

XXX

Hi there, please review and tell me what you think. I might just continue the story in another poem, but it will all depend on you guys out there. If you want to know what happens next, review.

Advi.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own Inuyasha or any of the other characters. If I did, I wouldn't be doing this…

A big thank you to everyone who hassent a review, this is for you, enjoy!

_**In the Rain**_

_Tears_

-----------------------------------------------------

Lightning claps angrily through the sky

Thunder booms like a roaring lion

Yet

Alone does a pure maiden weep

All alone

In a passing storm

Under a crevasse

She stood by her self

Kagome

Crying tears of sadness

A passing storm

It does not matter to him

Rain

He met her in pouring rain

Though not as heavy as this

Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West

Traveled with his charges

Under a passing storm

Tears fell heavier

Then the rain it self

Her heart broken

Smashed into little pieces

As she cried hard

Could she forgive

Such treachery

She looked up, only to see golden eyes

Eyes that haunted her memory

The tall lord walked to a place

Where his charges

A green demon

A little girl

Could shelter

But he found

The one who

Haunted in his heart

A heart as cold as ice

They stared at each other

As his charges ran in, sheltering from the storm

But for two people

Time stopped

The rain was no more

No one else existed

But the handsome lord and the beautiful maiden

His golden eyes fell upon her tears

Tears that would not stop

No matter how many times

She wiped them away

She made to leave

But as she passed him by

He caught her hand and said

"Stay"

XXXX

Yup that's the end! Do you want to know more?

Then please review!

Onegai Shimasu!

Thank you

Advi.


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own Inuyasha or any of the other characters. If I did, I wouldn't be doing this…

_**In the Rain**_

Conversations in a storm

----------------------------------------------------

The child gazed at the sorrowful maiden

So beautiful was she

With tresses, black as ebony

Yet her tears seem never ending

The child played around the maiden

Her laughter ringing around the crevasse

But Kagome's tears were never ending

With a gentle brush

The dashing Lord

Wiped her tears away

Gazing up at him

Kagome wondered why

Did he show such kindness

Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West

Hates all humans

Yet, why does he keep

A human child?

"Why do you weep?" Sesshoumaru asked

"Do you truly wish to know, the heartbreak of a mere human?" She asked

Silence overcame the crevasse

Thunder boomed angrily

As rain drenched the ground outside

"Where is the fool?" The handsome Lord asked coldly.

"With her…"

"With her?" He asked

Kagome wished

That she had not uttered

A single syllable

Yet he looked on

In complete understanding

His hated brother

Has betrayed

The maiden by his side

"Are you running away?" He asked

Watching the rain fall heavily

As Rin ran merrily about

"I think so," Kagome answered sadly

"Do you not know?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"I'm not sure…"

"Do you wish to see him?"

"No…" the maiden uttered

Pain ringing in her voice

"Do you wish to be with him?" He asked

His voice all but calm and monotonous

"Yes…" she answered as her tears fell

"Why?" He asked

Feelings of bewilderment

Over swept the lord

Why would she want to see

Someone who has betrayed her

Why wish to be with someone

Who betrays?

"Because I love him" she answered sadly

"Love?" Sesshoumaru asked

He did not need such weak emotions

"Why do humans love?"

Kagome gazed up at the cold lord

"Because we are humans,"

"Humans need to love"

"Love is a feeling that you share"

"With someone who you want to be with"

"Love is a feeling that is returned to you"

"It is a weak feeling," Sesshoumaru replied coldly

"Have you ever loved?" Kagome asked

"I have no need to love," He replied.

"Has he returned your feelings?" He asked gazing down at her

She stayed silent

"He has not?" Sesshoumaru asked coldly

Angered, the maiden ran out into the heavy rain

Why was he so cold?

Why did he want to know

Her tears fell even heavier

Why did he understand so quickly

Surprised, the dashing lord

Followed the beautiful maiden

Into the storm

Why did she run

Why does she weep

Why does she desire

To see a man who has betrayed her

He did not understand

Why does she love

Love Inuyasha

Inuyasha who is unfaithful

Why does she cry for him

And

Why does he

Sesshoumaru

Now run

After this

A human maiden

XXXX

Okay, that's the end! Kinda long, huh?

Okay folks, now I have been getting a lot of requests to turn **In the Rain** into a story. What do you think? Keep it as a poem or write it as a story?

Please review and tell me!

Your reviews will determine the fate of In the Rain

Advi.


	4. Chapter 4

I don't own Inuyasha or any of the other characters. If I did, I wouldn't be doing this…

This Chapter is dedicated to YoukaiYume… thank you.

_**In the Rain**_

Tears in the rain (_Sesshoumaru's side_)

-------------------------------------------

Crying maiden in the rain

Tears washing down your face

Tell me… why do you cry,

Tell me… O crying maiden

I need to know why I run to you?

Tell me

Why do you cry?

Why do you weep?

Why do you love?

I need to know why I run to you?

Just what am I feeling?

This isn't right

This isn't me

I can't understand at all

In this storm, so heavy so angry

Your tears vanish, lost in this rain

Taking your hand, I turn you around

Tears in the rain, they never stop

Tell me now, why do I run to you?

Looking into her eyes

I see my self, there's no fear in them

She sees me as my self and no one else

Why does this cold heart beat for you?

I let her hand go and watch her run

I'm angry with my self

What are these feeling I have for her

Why did my questions not come out?

I need to know,

What these feelings are

Can someone explain to me

What these feelings are that I have?

Why does my heart beat so fast

Why do I wish to be her guard

I want to watch her night and day

Tears in the rain, they fall so hard

I need to why this cold heart of mine yearns and yearns for you

We met before under pouring rain

Please stop running away

O crying maiden

XXXXX

Okay verdict in, In The Rain is going to be kept in its poem format. There were more keep it as it is, then turn it into a story. Thank you everyone!

Tears in the Rain (Sesshoumaru's side) feels more like a song doesn't it? Yeah I was quite surprised when I read it over. Kagome's side is almost similar, till then.

Advi.


	5. Chapter 5

I don't own Inuyasha or any of the other characters. If I did, I wouldn't be doing this…

_**In the Rain**_

Tears in the rain (Kagome's side)

------------------------------------------------

Summer rains

Raining down

So heavily

I'm running

Running away… from a dream

He's coming, why does he come?

I wish I could sprout wings and fly away

Can't he see? I'm in pain

So why does he chase

Chases me in this rain

I feel like flying away somewhere

Tears in the rain, they never ever stop

Why am I running, running away from a dream

We met once under the pouring rain

It was like love at first sight

So why am I running away from you?

He catches my hand, and I turn around

Instantly I'm lost in his eyes, just like that time

I wish I could sprout wings and just fly away

But I'm drowning deeply into his eyes

Why am I so drawn to him?

Tears in the rain, falling down from the heavens above

What can this be? Am I falling in love with him?

We met once, under the pouring rain

Did we fall in love back then

So why am I drowning in his eyes?

He lets my hand go, immediately I run away

I'm scared, what did I just feel?

I can still feel his hand over mine

I wish I could sprout wings and fly away

Why do I feel like this for him

Tears in the rain, my tears are all dry

Running in the rain, where should I run, I don't know

We met once under pouring rain

Did we fall in love then?

So why do I feel like this for him?

Tears in the rain, they never ever stop

Why am I running, running away from a dream

We met once under the pouring rain

It was like love at first sight

So why am I running away from you?

XXXXXX

Haha! I am back! Woohoo!

I hope you loved Kagome's side. I love it very much and it tells you a little where all this is going, doesn't it? Ah…romance…

The next one might take sometime to get out… but as soon as it's ready, I'll post it.

Please review if you liked it.

Advi.


	6. Chapter 6

I don't own Inuyasha or any of the other characters. If I did, I wouldn't be doing this…

_**In the Rain**_

Passing Drizzle

----------------------------------------

Weeks and weeks passed by,

And not once did we meet again

Those golden eyes

Why do they haunt my memory?

Following the one I love

Again we meet

Though just passing by

In this passing drizzle

Her features, her voice…

Why do I hear her voice though she is no where around?

Walking in this drizzle

I happen upon my brother and his pack

Then I see her there

Why do we always meet when it rains?

She is as beautiful as the last time we met

Though her eyes were full of tears then

I force my self to pass her by

I must not gaze upon her

Or risk falling under the spell she has weaved upon me

He passes me by

With a cold and stoic look

I gaze up at him

His beautiful golden eyes stare straight down the path

Will he look at me?

Does he remember what happen the last time we met?

For a moment our eyes meet

My heart starts to beat uncontrollably against my chest

Am I in love with you?

Impossible!

Why does my heart beat for you?

Their eyes met

Golden against brown orbs

Their hearts pounded hard

A blush colored her cheeks

His eyes wavered for a moment

Before Sesshoumaru forced himself to pass her by

He wanted with all his heart to stop by her side

To speak to her

To hear her sweet voice

But not in the company of his hated brother

Kagome stopped in her tracks

She wanted to speak to him

But he, walked away, never turning around

She stared at his back as the little girl and his vassal

Passed her by

Kagome turned and continued walking

Walking with people who never knew she had stopped

The lord walked on his way

While the maiden continued on hers

Shall they meet again?

---------------------------------------------

I apologize for the late update, but I stuck a brick wall half way though this one. Hope you like it, but I can tell you one thing, things are gonna heat up in the next one!

Please review and tell me how you like it!

Advi.


	7. Chapter 7

I don't own Inuyasha or any of the other characters. If I did, I wouldn't be doing this…

_**In the Rain**_

Unexpected Rescue

-------------------------------------------------

With a whish, a sharp tentacle

Towards the fair maiden, it flew

A flash of red

And a shout of Kaze no Kizu

A bright light

The villain screams in pain

Before her, Kagome see's the one whom she loves

But somehow that word

Does not seem true anymore

She ran, fitted an arrow to her bow and released it

It sang through the air, yet Inuyasha shouts to her

"Stay back! Kagome!"

She does as she is told

A large boomerang

Whizzes past the fair maiden…

Lightning cracks through the air

A storm is fast approaching, but, their fight becomes intense

They're losing, the monk has inhaled too much poison,

On the ground, Sango holds him close, worried.

Kagome looks on…should they run? No, they never run.

A tip and a tap, then rain rumbles onto the ground

It pours heavily as their hero fights in vain.

She pulls another arrow, but again, she it told to stay back

With a frown,

She informs our hero

Of the villain's weakness

Yet he attacks wildly, ignoring her words…

The rain pours relentlessly onto our heroes….

The maiden gives her umbrella to her friend, shielding her and the injured monk,

The fight goes badly as Inuyasha is thrown to the ground for the tenth time

"Inuyasha!" Kagome calls out his name, "Go for the jewel on his forehead!"

"That's what I'm trying to do!" he answers with a growl.

The fair maiden sighs… she gazes up at the grey sky pouring down.

She shuts her eyes, and hears the hero shouting words of a foul nature at their enemy

But as she opens her eyes…and her vision returns

A cold gust of breeze, blows from behind…

Kagome turns and there he is…

Someone she longs to see… appears

Tall and composed

His long satin hair drifts gently to the side

His golden eyes fall on her then to his brother

"Sesshoumaru…" she breathes his name

He walks composedly to her, his golden eyes never once,

Falter's away from hers,

He looks to his brother wrapped in one of the villain's tentacles

"His weakness is the jewel on his forehead," said the maiden timidly

The tall and handsome lord brings his golden eyes to rest on her

Her brown eyes, steady and strong…

There is nor fear in them for him

Sesshoumaru brings his eyes to rest on his enemy and pulled his sword

Tokijin from his waist

Like a gust of wind

Sesshoumaru leaped to the villain with two heads, four tails and eight tentacles

With a single stroke of his sword

Blue lightning and a ball of energy appeared destroying half tentacles with one blow

Inuyasha falls to the ground with the remainders of the tentacles

While high in the air

Soared his brother

Aiming his sword for the jewel on the forehead.

With a chink… and a flash

Sesshoumaru drives his sword through the jewel and the head.

The second head screams in agony

While a single arrow sings through the air

And pierces the heart of the demon

Slaying it

Its large body falls to the ground

As gracefully

Sesshoumaru landed in front of the maiden

His golden eyes, gazes at her and no where else

Softly he asks, "Are you well?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Kagome answers in surprise.

He bows and then leaves

Leaving the maiden and her company in the storm that rains down onto them.

Thank you… Kagome whispers as she watches his go

Leaving her with stronger feelings for him

And

A jealous half-brother…

--------------------------------------------------

Sorry for such a long long wait! Extremely busy with the other story I'm writing!

I think this was one long poem wasn't it? I have never tried this kind of poems where a story is told in it…especially having a fight in it. Whoa was it complicated!

Oooh… but what will happen in the next? Hmm-m-m-m

Well till the next time…

Mata ne!

Advi.


	8. Chapter 8

I don't own Inuyasha or any of the other characters. If I did, I wouldn't be doing this…

_**In the Rain**_

Sudden Showers

-----------------------------------------

Standing under the Go-Shimboku

With a pink umbrella

Kagome stands

Watching the gentle passing shower

Since last she saw Sesshoumaru

Inuyasha has acted differently

He is more attentive to her

Kinder, gentler, nicer

"Could he possibly know my feelings for his brother?" she asked her self

To the ground she turns her eyes

Her feelings were now torn between the two brothers

Her heart yearns to see the elder while her feelings for the younger are stronger

She brings her gaze to the falling sky

Wishing a foolish wish that Sesshoumaru would appear

That was why she stood there

She wanted to see him

But guilt ebbed at her

She felt that she was deceiving Inuyasha

From the tree she began to walk… she was suppose to be returning to her time

The shower poured gently to the ground

Wetting it with life giving water

How she wished one of the brothers would show up

Who would she choose?

The elder or the younger?

Kagome stopped… which one truly loved her?

Could Sesshoumaru really love her?

The demon with the heart of ice…

Or the half-demon who loved her past life?

Confusion ate into her heart

How was she to determine her choice?

My heart beats so fast when I am around Sesshoumaru

He seems so cold, so dangerous… yet somehow

He seems gentle almost kind…

Is this an illusion my mind has created?

How can I feel such feelings for an illusion?

I know these feelings for him are real

I feel like I'm floating when he is by my side

I never want him to leave when he is near

But I can never find my right voice when he is near

I do not fear him

But admire him

Is this all that is to be to me?

Someone to admire?

I want to slide my hand into his grip

I want to feel his soft satin hair on me

I want to hear his voice in my ear?

Can I be in love with him?

I know this feeling… but I'm lost in it

Hopelessly lost in love with him

Should I know what he feels?

Does my illusion feel for me?

I need to know…

As she walks to the clearing with the well

Her heart starts to beat twice as fast

A blush tints her cheeks

There sitting on the lip of the well

As rain poured down onto his long satin hair

Sesshoumaru Lord of the West.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hah! A cliffie in a poem! Didn't think I could do it could you?

Wahaahaha… oops sorry… I'm a nutcase after all : )

Well what do you think? Who should Kagome choose?

Send in your answers, because all my lovely readers you shall decide for Kagome. Should she go for Sesshoumaru or stay with Inuyasha?

Tell me, how should this story go.

Bye!

Advi


	9. Chapter 9

I don't own Inuyasha or any of the other characters. If I did, I wouldn't be doing this…

_**In the Rain**_

Bewitched

-----------------------------------------------

Sitting there under the drizzle

Lord Sesshoumaru stares at the maiden Kagome

The female for which his heart desires

Rain falls down to the couple

In silence they stare at each other

"You have bewitched this Sesshoumaru," says he

"Body, mind and soul… I can not have this."

The maiden felt her heart breaking

"Release me from this spell you have weaved upon me," says the lord

Sorrow washed over the maiden like a thunderous wave

"I do not know how to use spells… I do not know how to release you," says the maiden

He rises from his seat and walks to her

And places his claws around her neck

His features show nothing

Yet anger burns brightly in his eyes

"I desire you, I desire to taste your lips, to feel your soft skin… that shall not do!"

The maiden understood

The lord lusted and desired her

But does he love her?

"This spell I have placed on you was done most unconsciously…"

He squeezes her neck slightly,

She squirms in his grip, tears clouding her eyes

"I don't know how to release you, Sesshoumaru!"

"Maybe your death shall release me!" said he

Tears rolled down the maiden's cheeks

How could she think

How could she even love someone so cold

The look in her eyes

Confuses the lord

Never has he seen such eyes before

Their look… something about them

Speared his heart

Why?

Was this remorse that he was feeling?

He let her go

And the maiden fell to her knees

"Tell me what do you feel?" He asks

Kagome turns her tearful eyes to him

She couldn't find the strength to answer

There he stood towering above her

He waited patiently but somehow

He felt uncomfortable

He wanted to comfort her…

Such things were alien to him

She stands and whispers sadly, "I'm sorry"

She turns and takes a few steps away

Only to have her hand held in his, stopping her where she stood.

He came to her, closer then he has ever been

She looks up into light golden eyes

Eyes that look confused and somehow sad…

"I feel things I have never felt… what is this that I feel? Please tell me? What have done to me? Why do I wish to be by your side human? Why do I wish to linger around you? Your scent mesmerizes me, your sweet voice enchant's my mind so I desire to hear more each passing day! Why is it that I wish to feel your soft skin, to taste your lips? These are not normal… release me."

"You are in love…" Kagome answered softly

They fell into silence

Silence that was broken only by the drizzle

"I do not feel love," he spoke coldly

"Your questions have been answer, let me go" she answered in a breaking voice.

He released her hand

Turned on his heels and walked silently away

She watched him go

Hurt

As tears poured forth down her face

How could she ever consider

Loving someone who does not love?

-----------------------------------------------------

Hi there! I am back! Oooh my… what would happen with those two?

Now I'm not going to announce the results of everyone's answers yet. You know who should Kagome choose?

That would be answered in the next chapter!

Bye

Advi.


	10. Chapter 10

Okay lets see… nope I still don't own Inuyasha, wish I did though… he's so cute, well his ears are.

_**In the Rain**_

Realization

-------------------------------------

Kagome ran with tears falling like rain, lost in the drizzle

To the well she jumped

And disappeared

From this time

From him

But her sorrows she could not escape

Her tears floated upwards

As she cried her heart out

In the stream of time

Moving from the middle ages to the modern era

Sesshoumaru walked away

Something had hurt him deeply inside

He knew not what

But it cut through him

Like a blunt sword

Slowly and painfully

He placed his head against a tree

He imagined that his desire and passion for the maiden would disappear

Had he confirmed this odd sensations he felt for her

He was wrong…

Instead

It almost felt like they were killing him, deep with in

Kagome's feet touched the dry floor of the well

But to the ground her knees went

And there she cried her heart out

Her heart that felt that it could never be mended ever again

Hugging her knees, she wept uncontrollably

In her time

Away from him

All alone

Confusion swept the handsome lord

Her eyes had shown him

Pain, pain that he had caused her

His mind said to kill the person who dared to harm his intended

Yet it was he who preformed the pain inflicting deed

He stood away from the tree

With a zing, his whip flew out and sliced through the tree

Cutting it in half

The pieces fell to the ground

But his anger was not calmed

Instead he had a greater desire to see her

The maiden for whom he yearns for

Kagome, mysterious and beautiful

Her tears finally stopped

She brought her head up…

A thought made her tears halt

Her heart began to beat fast… like tomorrow would never come

Realization hit her

Sesshoumaru had in his way

Whether in his knowledge or not

Declared his love and feelings for her

The hurt in her heart fading away

As warm sensations filled deep within

She got to her feet

Wiping her tears away

Climbed to the top and jump back into the blue glow

That led to him and his time

------------------------------------------------------------

That's it for the moment…

Don't get angry I know you guys want more but I can't help it, it's very hard to keep it in its poem format without turning the chapter into a normal story chapter. Oooh but what will happen in the next? Will Sesshoumaru still be around somewhere near to the well when she returns?

All shall be answered in the next chapter!

Advi.


	11. Chapter 11

I still don't own Inuyasha… or other affiliated characters.

_**In the Rain**_

The Feelings of a Taiyoukai

-----------------------------------------------------------

The drizzle had long stopped

Only the drip-drip of the last drops fell from the branches high above

Sitting on the stump of the tree he destroyed

Kagome's sad eyes haunted Sesshoumaru

"Kagome…" he spoke her name to forest

Softly his voice traveled to no where else but his own ears

His heart could not forget her, though he tried to…

She was his weakness

She was his desire

She was someone who has captured his heart

So tenderly, so unseen… when was it that he fell for her

Sesshoumaru did not know

Suddenly, his caught her scent in the gentle breeze…

She had returned from where ever she had disappeared to…

Why did she return?

When he hurt her so?

Her eyes held nothing but pain…pain that he felt tearing him apart

She told him what he felt was love… was this what love does to you?

Does it kill you from with in?

Was this the very same sensation that his father felt?

Was such a weakness doomed to be his as well?

Does this Kagome feel the same for he, Sesshoumaru?

Does she have the same feelings as he has for her?

Again her eyes filled with tears flashed in front of him… why did she cry for him?

"She loves me…" he answered as he stood up…

Somehow… everything became clearer

The sun shone through the branches high above to the wet grassy ground

Showing spots of gold shining warmly on the ground before him

His heart yearned to see her

He suddenly found himself hoping

Hoping she still had the same feelings for him

Hoping that he wasn't wrong…

His feet moved into the direction for her sweet scent

The fragrance that intoxicated his soul

And for the first time in a long time

Everything seemed clearer to him

He came out from the trees to see her

Sitting on the edge of the well

Her soft black hair moved gently in the tender breeze

As the sun shone down on her

Putting the most beautiful goddess to shame

He was in love

In love with a mortal

It was taboo…

Yet he took at step closer to her though she was far away

Kagome turned her gaze to him

Making his heart beat faster then he ever felt it beat before

Hope that he had never felt before flooded his very being

He walked to her as she sat there before him

Sesshoumaru stood in front of his object of desires, Kagome

And for awhile they stared at each other in silence…

------------------------------------------------------------------

Now I guess most of you are saying…

"WHAT NO-NO-NO WHAT ARE YOU DOING STOPPING HERE! IT'S JUST GETTING GOOD!"

I'm sorry but the good part is going to be in another chappie… it's just way too long to fit in here…

So be patient and I will get the next one up soon… really soon.

Advi.

Oooh and thank you so much for all your reviews. You people R-O-C-K!

Yeah really you do : )


	12. Chapter 12

Don't own Inuyasha… savvy?

Inuyasha: Urk… someone's been watching too much Pirates of the Caribbean again!

_**In the Rain**_

The Taiyoukai & the Miko

--------------------------------------------------------

Silence…

Broken only by the whispers of the lush grass to the gentle trees

His golden eyes gazed adoringly at his object of affections

Her brown eyes stared tenderly at the tall lord before her

To one knee he knelt before his maiden…

His long satin hair fell to the ground before her like a silky fan

Her cheeks glowed before him

Enchanting Sesshoumaru once cold and heartless

"The feelings that I have confessed to you… by any hope do you possess the same for this Sesshoumaru?"

Her eyes glittered as happiness flooded her soul…

She could not answer for her tears appeared in her eyes

"These feelings you say are love… then it is love that I wish to obtain from you… please release me of this suffering from within." He spoke with such feeling that he never knew he had

Her smile warmer than the rays of the sun, appeared

Giving him relief like he had never known

"The feelings that you have for me… I share for you also… Sesshoumaru… can you love a human?" Kagome asked softly, gazing lovingly into his golden eyes

"To love one another… it is taboo for both our races…" said he

Bringing his only hand up

He gently caressed her soft cheeks

"Then it is a taboo that I shall break… How is it that you inform someone that you love them?" He asked.

"Aishiteru…"

"Ai shite ru?" He repeated in question

"So simple?" He asked

"Sometimes when you are in love… the simplest things are the most meaningful," said she softly

He smiled and gently cooed

"Kagome, aishiteru…"

Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West knelt up to Kagome from the future

And gently pressed his lips to hers

Their eyes closed

As their lips moved against each others

The birds sang around them

As the sun shone warmly upon the well she sat upon

He pulled away from her warm lips

A feeling of warmth and contentment filled the lord

Her eyelids slowly parted to find him smiling tenderly at her

Kagome brought her hand up to gently touch the marks on his face

Marks that were proof of his title

"I seek permission to court you, Kagome…" he whispered softly

With a smile she replied, "You have it, Sesshoumaru."

Again their lips met

As her arms wrapped around his neck, losing her fingers in his long satin hair

His single arm pulled her closer to his being as she slipped from the well to his lap

But far from the couple in love

Stood a jealous half-demon

Watching…

With anger filling him

With hate building within

With betrayal searing in his amber eyes

There in the shadows Inuyasha stood shaking with anger

As he watched Kagome kiss Sesshoumaru his hated elder half-brother

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh my, oh my, oh my… and things were going so well too…

Oooh what is it going to happen? What will Inuyasha do? How will Kagome act around Inuyasha from now on? Oooh these are questions that even I don't know the answers to yet.

Okey-dokey if you guys think my poems are good you should try reading ones done by Mizu the Water Goddess they are just… wow! I'm a big fan of her Our Fate. I recommend it for a good read.

Bye

Advi.


	13. Chapter 13

Me no own Inuyasha… oh just the DVD's & manga's.

_**In the Rain**_

Sesshoumaru's promise

-------------------------------------------------

Before they parted from each other's embrace

Sesshoumaru promised to keep Kagome safe

When Inuyasha can no longer protect her

It was his promise to her

Gazing deep into her warm brown eyes

He lost himself in them

But they knew

They could not afford to show such affection

Until their enemies were defeated

Kagome did not wish to be his weakness

And Sesshoumaru did not wish for his enemies to find his only weakness

In each other's embrace they promised to keep their affection hidden

Their love would not be shown even to their most trusted

Sesshoumaru promised

"I shall be your hidden guardian,"

"I shall watch over you…"

"No harm shall come to you."

Kagome held his claws up to her warm cheeks

And held it there as she tenderly nodded her head

They parted after a tender kiss

Then Sesshoumaru walked up to the shadows

And there Inuyasha waited for him

He pulled Tetsusaiga from her sheath

Yet before the sword could transform

Sesshoumaru pulled his own Tokijin out

And sent the mighty Tetsusaiga flying from her master's hands

To land at Kagome's feet

"Inuyasha…" she breathed his name

"I'm gonna kill you Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha shouted at his brother

"Shut up and listen," said Sesshoumaru fiercely

"I'm leaving Kagome with you. Protect her or else," Sesshoumaru ordered.

"Keh! You don't have to tell me that!" Inuyasha barked

"Fine," said Sesshoumaru, he allowed himself a final glance

At his lovely Kagome before he walked away

Leaving her and Inuyasha alone

She pulled Tetsusaiga from the ground

However, eyes of anger were on her

"Inuyasha…' she spoke softly

But he turned around and shouted, "Forget it!" and marched away

From Kagome and his sword in her hands.

Kagome held the sword close to her and softly she uttered

"I'm sorry…"

-----------------------------------------------------

Sad… poor Kagome… poor Inuyasha…

Inuyasha: Can this story get any worst?

Advi: Eh? What are you doing here?

Inuyasha: Wha? Did you think I would only be on Traveling with Sesshoumaru?

Advi: Yes!

Inuyasha: Keh! Fat chance!

Advi: Soooo mean…

Well anyhoo… What do you think will happen? Will Inuyasha learn to accept that Kagome has fallen in love with Sesshoumaru?

Inuyasha: Never!

Advi: (mumbles irately under her breath)

As I was saying… (glares at Inuyasha) Will he keep his word to protect Kagome? Find out in the next In The Rain.


	14. Chapter 14

Still don't own Inuyasha…

_**In the Rain**_

A broken heart

--------------------------------------------------

Inuyasha marched away from Kagome

He did not wish to lay his eyes on her

How could she betray him this way?

With his elder brother!

He spotted the nearest tree and ran his hand into its trunk

"The wench! How could she!" he growled

The scene of his brother kissing Kagome flashed in front of his eyes

He pulled his hand out and hit the tree again

Such betrayal….

Inuyasha felt such anger and hatred that he has never felt before

Kagome is his…

Though he never truly showed his feelings for her

How could he?

His heart was torn between two

Kikyou of his past

And Kagome, her future

Yet Kagome has betrayed his feelings

He has lost Kikyou's future to the most unlikely,

The most proud and unsympathetic creature in the world

Sesshoumaru

"What can he offer that I can't?" He asked angrily

"Love…" Kagome answered from behind him

"What are you doing here?" He growled

"Tetsusaiga…" she answered

He took the sword from her hands

"Inuyasha…" said Kagome

She looked at Inuyasha sadly

For him to find out this way

O why does fate have to be so cruel to him, Kagome wondered

"He's using you Kagome, Sesshoumaru can't love!" he shouted

"Then I will teach him to love," said Kagome kindly

Though inside, his words hurt her tender heart

"That's impossible!" said Inuyasha marching away from Kagome

He did not wish to be near to the one who betrayed him

Kagome returned to her friends, troubled

She did not tell the rest of what had happened

Only that she and Inuyasha had a fight

The Monk and the kitsune child promised to beat some sense into Inuyasha

However as Kagome pretended to laugh at their antics

She wished, though awkward the circumstance

For Sesshoumaru's presense...

That night sleep came uneasily to Kagome

While far away

Sesshoumaru stood on a cliff in the dark

The cool night air lifting his silvery locks

While silently he traced his finger over his lips

His golden eyes staring off into space

But far away, deep in the forest

Inuyasha sat with Kikyou

Her long cool hair draped loosely on his warm shoulders

His head rested on hers as she spoke softly, "I can't believe she did that…"

"I feel so betrayed," said Inuyasha his voice empty

"Is that why you came here?" Kikyou asked, her voice sounding weak

"I wanted to be any place that doesn't remind me of her…"

Kikyou looked sad as she said, "Why do all the women in your life have to betray you?"

Inuyasha did not return until the next morning

When Kagome woke up, she saw Inuyasha appearing from the early morning mist

She walked up to him

"Good Morn…" Kagome tried to say

But he passed her by

Without once looking at her or saying a word

Sesshoumaru… Kagome called to him in her heart

----------------------------------------------------------

A little long wasn't it… sigh I'll try to keep em' short.

Kagome has just fallen in love with Sesshoumaru and her feelings were returned, she should be happy, however, she can't help but feel sad because of Inuyasha, after all she did love him first. How will things fare you think? Should Miroku give Inuyasha a good whack? Or should they sympathize with him?

Ahhhh… … so many questions!

Until the next time

Advi.


	15. Chapter 15

Checks… nope I still don't own Inuyasha… yup

_**In the Rain**_

Come with me

---------------------------------------------

Inuyasha spoke not to Kagome for a few days

Nor did he carry her on his back, when they needed to travel fast

Kagome rode on Kirara

Or walked behind the group

After 4 days of silence, Inuyasha began to speak to her

However his words were short and cold

At night Kagome cried herself to sleep

Her travels with Inuyasha were getting painful

His warmth was gone

It was almost like he had become someone different

Sango kept asking her what the argument was about

But always Kagome merely forced a smile and said nothing

After one week of such attitude from Inuyasha

Miroku indeed

Knocked the half demon silly on his head

Futher infuriating Inuyasha who again left the group on their own

Kagome cried when he left shooting a cold glare at her

Sango came to her side and comforted the crying maiden

Sesshoumaru followed his beloved from a far

Watching with annoyance

As Inuyasha led them aimlessly through the forest

He waited until his brother left the group to go to Kagome's side

As she cried into her friend

Sesshoumaru appeared from the trees

Giving Miroku, Sango and Shippou a fright

Sango gasped, bringing her friend out of her tears

While Miroku stood in front of the two girls, defending them

"Inuyasha isn't here," said he

"I know…" Sesshoumaru replied neutrally

Kagome's tears halted as she heard his voice

She rose to her feet and ran to him

But stopped her self from throwing her arms around the lord

She stood in front of him and said nothing

"I have been following you all this week," Sesshoumaru spoke regally

Her brown eyes shot to his

"Inuyasha has treated you with nothing but contempt… come with me,"

Said Sesshoumaru with his hand out to her

Kagome smiled at him

Yet happy she was not

"I cannot leave my friends…" she replied softly

His golden eyes moved above her to her friends standing behind

"Sesshoumaru-sama, why would you want Kagome-sama to travel with you?" Miroku inquired as politely as he could

Neither Sesshoumaru nor Kagome spoke a word

"Come with me…" Sesshoumaru repeated gently to Kagome

"I can not tolerate his behavior to you," said he

"Kagome-chan?" Sango asked, she was completely puzzled

Kagome gazed at the one she loved

She wished every night that he would come and take her away

Her wish was now granted

Yet her heart did not wish to leave her friends to the contempt of the man she once loved

"Keh! Come to see your woman, huh?" Inuyasha asked from behind

Sesshoumaru turned allowing Kagome and the rest to see him

Kagome's eyes went wide

Sango's mouth fell open

Shippou asked, "What is she doing here?"

Behind Sesshoumaru

Stood Inuyasha with Kikyou by his side

------------------------------------------

Well this is it for the moment! (ducks as rotten tomatoes fly pass)

I know, I know… cliffy! But at least there is more to the story… right?

(ducks again as rotten cabbages go flying) err… find out next chapter, what Kikyou is doing there and will Kagome leave? Would you if you were in her place?

Mata ne!

Advi

(fails to duck and is hit with two rotten tomotoes)


	16. Chapter 16

Wouldn't be doing this if I owned Inuyasha…

_**In the Rain**_

Breaking

-----------------------------------------------

Sadness filled her heart

For there Inuyasha stood with Kikyou

There in front of her, he stood with such distantness

Why… Kagome asked her self

Why is he doing this?

Sesshoumaru's eyes burn with the flames of anger

While the rest were unable to understand the situation

Kagome tugged on Sesshoumaru's long sleeve, surprising her friends behind

The tall lord turned to her

As she held her head down and softly she spoke

"I want to leave…"

Her voice echoed her deep misery

Sorrow caused by his half-brother

Sesshoumaru's large hand wrapped around her small one

And quietly behind her lord, Kagome followed, leaving the one who hurts

Leaving her friends asking why she would go with the distant lord

"Kagome-chan…" Sango uttered, her voice falling on deaf ears

Inuyasha watched sadly

As Kagome followed his brother, leaving him, leaving them

"Are you sure?" Kikyou asked softly by his side

"Keh, let them go!" Inuyasha replied angrily as he watched their figures

Disappearing into the shadows of the forest

Shippou ran to the edge of the trees

Though he feared the cold Taiyoukai, Sesshoumaru

He wished to be with Kagome

His single wish was also shared by Sango, a friend watching worriedly

"I know you Inuyasha," said Kikyou weakly

"You will miss her presence."

"Keh, why would I miss that two timer!" He asked rudely

Then, did the rest truly understand their situation

Sango tossed Kirara up into the air

And the little two tailed cat burst into flames

Out of the flames came a large sabertooth cat

To which Sango jumped high, catching the mane

She pulled her self up and flew away leaving the rest

Leaving Shippou who wished he could follow

"Find Kagome-chan, Kirara!"

Quitely Kagome walked sadly behind Sesshoumaru

Who wondered how he could make her happy once again

He turned to her, but with tears in her eyes and her head held down

She walked straight into the demon lord

Before she could fall backwards

He caught her in his only arm

"I'm sorry," said Kagome wiping her sad tears away

"Why does he always pain you so?" Asked Sesshoumaru softly

He brought Kagome back to her feet

Yet she could not answer his question

"Your tears are always for him," said the striking lord

Kagome buried her face into his soft furry tail, everything felt too painful

Sesshoumaru held her, as she cried her sorrows to him

The quiet of the forest, soothed her tears, while his gentle touches calmed her soul

But quickly, dark clouds appeared in the air

Sesshoumaru looked up as Kagome brought her face away from his warmth

The dark clouds the quickly came, did not bring rain but dark and foul jyaki

"Kagome-chan!" echoed Sango's voice above the trees

Kirara swooped down from the tree line, and landed beside the couple

"Kagome-chan… Inuyasha says that you're…" worried she looked at Sesshoumaru

"Sango-chan… I," said Kagome who did not get a chance to speak her mind

For her heart and her mind felt the presence of the jewel of the four souls

Polluted and corrupt, it's evil polluted the air

"The Shikon no Tama…" said Kagome softly

"This smell" said Sesshoumaru, his voice cold

"Naraku is near…"

-----------------------------------------------

Inuyasha: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaait a minute!

Advi: Hey, I have to close this chapter!

Inuyasha: Is Naraku going to be in here?

Advi: Ummm yeah, why?

Inuyasha: So you're going to write a poem about Naraku?

Advi: NOooo… it's a poem where Naraku is merely a character… like you

Inuyasha: Oh… hey, you mean I'm not the hero here too?

Advi: Duh…

Okay, wow-wow! Naraku is going to show up, and what do you think he wants? And will Kagome and Sesshoumaru be able to keep their secret from him? Find out in the next chapter!


	17. Chapter 17

Advi no own Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi does!

_**In the Rain**_

The jewel's location

---------------------------------------------

Dark clouds filled the sky heralding not rain

But the evil half demon, Naraku

Kagome stood near to her beloved Sesshoumaru

And Sango and Kirara near to them

Their eyes turned to the dark sky

The cold breeze trumpeted Naraku's bitter arrival, as scores of demons flooded the air

"Naraku's swarm," said Kagome softly

"He's coming to us?" Sango asked

"No… not to us," said the stoic demon lord

"Kikyou has come out of hiding," said Kagome her voice but a hollow whisper

Sango jumped onto Kirara and said, "I have to go," and swooped away

Leaving the Miko and the Taiyoukai standing side by side

Kagome brought her warm brown eyes to his golden ones

Golden eyes that looked deep into hers

The cold breeze lifted his long satin locks

That flew past him and gently grazed her skin

"Will you go?" her gentle voice sounding loud in a silent forest

"Yes…" Sesshoumaru answered softly

Still they stood together in silence

Staring at each other

"I want to come…" said Kagome

He stared at her, considering the danger involved

"Do not get in my way," he said distantly

"And we must not reveal to Naraku our relationship."

Kagome felt hurt by his words,

But followed anyway, her urge to fight pushing her on

Her heart was already broken so badly, she felt it could not break anymore

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru turned to her and pulled her broken hearted miko close to him

"After this, teach me more about love," he said softly

A light of warmth, flickered in Kagome's heart

"I will," she replied, her happiness showing on her features

Sesshoumaru leaned down and softly planted a kiss on her forehead

Kagome closed her eyes and enjoyed the touch of his lips

And rested her small hands on his breast-plate

Sesshoumaru placed his only hand over hers, and held them over his heart and said,

"Stay behind me… that way you'll be safe."

She nodded her head and with that the couple walked to where Naraku

Their enemy was, with Inuyasha and Kikyou…

As they got closer

Kagome felt the power of the tainted jewel

It's power polluting the air around the forest

Cloaked by the trees, the couple was able to see

Inuyasha fighting against Naraku's tentacles

While the villain himself floated in the air, protected by his barrier

Then Kagome saw it

From the red eye in Naraku's chest

The dark glow of the tainted Shikon no Tama

She pulled on Sesshoumaru's long sleeve

He turned to her and she said

"Naraku's weakness is the Shikon no tama in the center of the red eye on his chest."

Sesshoumaru looked at his lovely companion in surprise

She is able to see Naraku's weakness…

"Remove the jewel and Naraku's powers will just be shape shifting," said Kagome

"Naraku's weakness…" said Sesshoumaru turning his eyes on his enemy

"Is his dependency on the jewel's power."

Kagome turned and spotted Kikyou hiding behind a tree, holding Shippou in her arms

"I have to go to her," said Kagome

"Inuyasha cannot fight freely if she's in danger."

Sesshoumaru watched as his brother fought, Kagome's words were true

"Go…" he commanded

"Get her away from this place, I do not need to be un-necessarily burdened."

At once Kagome dashed to Kikyou as she kept one eye out for Naraku

He was currently busy with Sango and Miroku

"Inuyasha!" Kikyou cried out his name

He had just been knocked to the ground by one of Naraku's tentacles

Blood split forth from a cut on his brow

While the look of deep concern, showed on Kikyou's face

She was powerless to help him

Somehow, Kagome didn't feel very worried about Inuyasha

She knew he was alright

The only worry she had was being a burden to Sesshoumaru as he fought

Suddenly a bright light appeared

Then a powerful explosion

Kagome was brought to her knees by it's sheer force

She looked up and turned around to see Sesshoumaru standing on a fallen tree trunk

As debris fell around him

Naraku's eyes turned to the stoic Taiyoukai

Standing tall and fearless

His long sliver tresses blew gently up and down to his white hakama's

While his long white and red sleeves

One empty, and one with Tokijin's hilt sticking up by the side, waved up and fell gently down to its master's sides

Inuyasha lifted his head to see

His brother's intimidating figure coming into view, as the dust settled

While Miroku and Sango looked on down from high above on Kirara

Upon the battle field that fell into silence

At the arrival of the Taiyoukai

"Sesshoumaru…" said Naraku

His voice humored and his eyes gleaming with evil.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

That's all folks… for the moment anyway!

Oooh this was a real long one wasn't it? It's in reply to a lot of people who wanted longer chapters. Now, Sesshoumaru has learnt what Naraku's weakness is but can he defeat that evil hanyou alone? Will Kagome get to Kikyou in time? Will Inuyasha work with his brother?

Inuyasha: Fat chance! (Advi glares at Inuyasha)

As I was saying… ahem… Will the two brothers work together?

Inuyasha: Are you nuts?

Advi: Shoo! Go away, I'm trying to end the chapter.

Inuyasha: Keh! Fine go ahead.

Find out in the next exciting chapter of In The Rain.

Ja ne!

Inuyasha: For anyone still reading, remember that I'm the hero not Sesshoumaru. Me, Inuyasha hero, Sesshoumaru… not hero. Okay… understand? Good!


	18. Chapter 18

All rights to Inuyasha and associated characters & names belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

_**In the Rain**_

Freeing the Jewel

----------------------------------

Silence drowned the battlefield of broken trees

As the hero knelt fallen to the ground

"Sesshoumaru…" said Inuyasha, glaring at his hated half-brother

The tall demon lord took a step forward

His footfall echoing through the field of fallen trees

Inuyasha stabbed his sword, the famed Tessaiga into the ground

And pulled himself to his feet

The sun's fading light

Glittered with stars

As it danced on the blade in Sesshoumaru's hand

Tokijin, the sword forged from the fangs that broke the Tessaiga

The sword with such evil that would corrupt the most corruptible demon

Yet tamed in the hands of Sesshoumaru, fearless and pitiless

Kagome watched, as her beloved lord walked slowly to their enemy

Naraku only had eyes for Sesshoumaru

The demon lord's power tempting him from the rest of his enemies

Quickly Kagome ran, ran to the person she has to save

To the person she once hated

Kikyou… her past life…

- - -

Kikyou watched as the demon lord walked to their enemy

She turned to her reincarnation, running to her

Kagome came to a stop in front of Kikyou, as Shippou wrapped himself around her legs

"Kikyou… you have to leave this place," said Kagome

"No I can not," said Kikyou, her voice revealing her weakness

"If you stay here, Inuyasha can not fight the way he wants," said Kagome

"Do you still love Inuyasha?" Kikyou asked, her voice devoid of emotion

"I care for Inuyasha, but I love Sesshoumaru," said Kagome softly as she placed a hand over her chest. "Despite the way he acts, Inuyasha will always be my dear friend."

Kikyou looked up in surprise at Kagome

Though Inuyasha treated her coldly, Kagome's pure heart could not hate him

Truly, thought Kikyou

The one who will purify the polluted Shikon no Tama, would be Kagome

But Naraku's death will be brought by hers, Kikyou's hands

- - - -

A loud blast shook the trees as Sesshoumaru and Naraku dueled in the air

The fearless Taiyoukai and his enemy flew circles around each other,

Waiting for a perfect chance to attack the other

Inuyasha stood up and gripped his sword the Tessaiga in his hands

"Damn!" said he, "Don't forget about me, Naraku!"

Swirls of wind coiled around the blade of the great sword

And with a cry of "Kaze no Kizu!"

Three claws of wind and youki, shot up to the two, circling each other

Sesshoumaru flew to the side, avoiding the attack

While Naraku's barrier absorbed the power of the attack

Naraku smirked and laughed, "Inuyasha when will you learn?"

"This move is powerless against me!"

The energy of the Kaze no Kizu spun around the barrier

Then, with a flash, the move was returned to its master

Its power returned to him ten-fold

"Kikyou!" said Inuyasha as he ran to the place where he left her

He jumped over the bushes and saw Kagome with her

He stabbed the Tessaiga into the ground and held on to Kikyou

As he looked at Kagome

The torrents of destruction hit his sword straight on as Kagome shielded her kitsune

And unwillingly, she held on to Kikyou with her other arm and crouched low

Fighting against the wind that threaten to blow her far away

- - - -

After the great currents of wind died down, Inuyasha and Kagome stood up

Kagome's eyes quickly went to the demon lord in the air

For a brief moment, their eyes met, before Naraku said, "Kagome,"

"I was wondering where you were? I thought you left Inuyasha since he has now traded you for someone else."

Kagome glared up at Naraku and looked at the villain floating in his orb.

She brought her gaze down to Inuyasha and said,

"Break his barrier,"

"What?" Inuyasha asked with a scowl

"Just do it," said Kagome, with her hands on her hips

"Keh!" said Inuyasha as he knelt down on one knee and brought Tessaiga to his side

Diamonds started to crystallize the blade of the great sword

As swirls of youki ran down the length of the blade

With a bright flash, Inuyasha called out loudly,

"KONGOUSOUHA!"

A hail of diamond spears in a storm of youki

Rushed to Naraku and decimated his barrier

Breaking it easily, as if the barrier was made of fine glass

Sesshoumaru saw his chance and held the Tokijin in front of him

The sword glowed blue and crackled wildly with fierce energy

He held the sword up and slashed it down in the air

Releasing a great amount of power that flew to Naraku

Ripping his body to shreds and into a hundred pieces that floated in the air

Then floating at the very center of Naraku's floating flesh

Kagome saw the dark glow

Of the tainted Shikon no Tama

Reaching back, her two fingers hooked under the feathers of an arrow

And pulled it out from the quiver on her back

Gripping her bow, Kagome fitted the arrow and took aim

Her arrow started to glow pink as her aura glowed white around her body

With a twang from the bow string, the glowing arrow left her fingers

And soared directly to its target

The corrupted jewel, glowing darkly in the air, high above the ground

It hit its target, and a bright white light shone high in the sky

Then they saw the jewel flying away

It's color changing from a deep purple to a light pink

The jewel flew to Miroku's hand and before Naraku could get to him

Sango bade Kirara to fly,

Fly away from danger and to the only person who could contain

The power of the jewel, Kagome

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------------

Hello-o ….

Echo… …

Anyone still there?

Echo … … silence … …

Damn, should have updated earlier, there isn't anyone here.

Sigh… must get next one up sooner. I wonder will anyone read it if I turned it into a story? Keeping it as a poem sure is hard.

Inuyasha: Do you think anyone will reply

Advi: (looks at bare empty space) Umm… err… we'll see?

Inuyasha: You kept everyone waiting too long, no one's here anymore.

Advi: Then I have to get the next one up soon, really soon!

Inuyasha: Really? Then get back to work!

Advi: sniff… hi, Inuyasha-sama.


	19. Chapter 19

All rights to Inuyasha and associated characters & names belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

PS: Okay people the story isn't in poem format anymore, it will now be presented in the usual story format. Hope you guys like this.

_**In the Rain**_

Spider on the back

------------------------------------------------

Miroku threw the jewel to Kagome. Slowly in slow motion, Kagome watched the jewel leave Miroku's hand and fly through the air and straight to her palms. When she caught the jewel, Kagome brought it to her chest and hugged it. This time, when she shot the arrow at the jewel, it knocked the jewel away from the floating flesh that was Naraku. The last time she shot an arrow at the jewel; she broke it and consequently sent it's shards to rain all over Sengoku Japan.

This time; however, her arrow purified the jewel of Naraku's corruption.

Kikyo looked up from behind Kagome and stared at Naraku's flesh, forming slowly in the air. "Kagome," said Kikyo, weakly.

Kagome turned around to the miko and saw her reaching up, "Help me stand, I want to destroy Naraku." Kagome looked at Kikyo's hand, and smiled and pulled the weaken miko to her feet. "Let's do it!" said Kagome with a bright smile. Kikyo looked at her emotionlessly and thought, '_This is why she's the one who healed Inuyasha's heart, and why she will be the one who will end the cycle of sorrow that follows the shikon no tama._'

With Kagome's help, Kikyo got to her feet, then the two mikos watched the brothers; one in the air and one on the ground, prepare for Naraku, who was very quickly pulling himself together.

- - - -

Sesshoumaru watched the clumps of floating flesh; coming together to form what he guessed was a new body for Naraku. Because instead of forming into a human form, Naraku's flesh shivered, as it came together, and when they did, it quadrupled in size, and turned grey. Slowly, large spider legs sprouted from the mish-mesh of flesh and after that, tentacles.

'_Once Naraku finishes this transformation of his… he shalll die_,' thought Sesshoumaru, as he continued to watch.

- - - -

Inuyasha cursed; Naraku doesn't have the shikon jewel anymore… he should be weak, but, it seemed that he was as strong as ever. He looked up and saw Sesshoumaru watching the whole ugly scene with a bored look.

"How can he look so calm at a time like this?" Inuyasha asked himself.

Inuyasha didn't want to wait till Naraku was done with his transformation; he wanted to strike now, while Naraku was busy putting himself together.

Swirls of wind began to waft around the blade of the great sword, Tessaiga.

"Heh… Kaze no Kizu will do the trick!" said Inuyasha as he got ready to perform his signature move, however, all of the sudden, Kikyo shouted at him, "NOT… yet Inuyasha… if you strike now, you won't be able to destroy Naraku! Wait for a while longer!"

Inuyasha turned around and stared at Kikyo, did she and Sesshoumaru have the same idea or something? He then saw Kagome standing behind Kikyo, holding her up; he figured that must be it. "Keh… fine," Inuyasha replied with a huff.

'_I'll hold off only because Kikyo say's so_,' Inuyasha spoke to himself.

From where Kagome stood, she narrowed her eyes at the hanyou and thought, '_He sure follows her instructions well, with me he never listens!_'

- - - -

Sesshoumaru smiled when he saw the mark of a red spider forming on the back of Naraku's humungous form. Sesshoumaru gripped his sword, Tokijin, as the blade glittered and started to crackle with blue energy.

Down below, Kagome saw the cold smile on her beloved's face, and saw what he was looking at, "Onigumo's mark," said Kagome softly, "It has formed on the spider's back."

"Has…it?" Kikyo asked weakly.

Kagome looked at Kikyo and asked, "Yes, can't you see it?" Kikyo then answered, "My vision is not as good as before… Kagome, I don't have much time left, I want to kill Naraku so my spirit can finally rest."

"I thought you once said that your spirit can only rest when Inuyasha is in hell with you?" Kagome asked, looking at the clay miko she was helping to stand.

Kikyo smiled weakly and said, "I have given that idea up, I would be happier if he was alive for me. I love him still… even though what kept me alive until now was hate for him, but, I soon realized, that it was hate for the one who had killed me, Naraku, not Inuyasha."

Kagome looked sadly at Kikyo and thought, '_She looks like she could die after this battle… Is it destined, that these two can't love each other?_' Kagome asked her heart.

"Ka…gome," Kikyo called out weakly.

"Yes?" Kagome replied gently.

"Help me aim the arrow," Kikyo asked. Kagome then held the bow up for Kikyo and aimed the arrow for her.

- - - -

Inuyasha saw the sword in Sesshoumaru's hand crackle with energy and knew that his hated elder brother was going to attack. "Like I'll let him look cool!" said Inuyasha as he held his Tessaiga above his head and shouted, "Kaze no Kizu!" He swung the blade down, unleashing three claws of wind, youki and destruction that raced in the air, towards Naraku's still forming body.

The blast from Kaze no Kizu hit Naraku's body directly, but, it only managed to cut a small bit off. It was also at that moment, that Naraku completed his transformation. On the head of the grey spider, a clump of flesh, doubled in size as smaller spider legs, tentacles and tendrils came out of it, and so did the upper body of a human man with long black hair.

"Naraku, so you've finally decided to show yourself," said Sesshoumaru, as he swung his sword down, sending a large ball of blue energy, which shot straight at the head of the spider. But, a barrier came up at that moment, shielding Naraku from Sesshoumaru's blast, however, the blast was so powerful that it manage to create a crack in the barrier.

At that moment, Naraku heard Inuyasha cry out, "Kongousouha!" A bright flash of light appeared from Tessaiga, as a hail of diamond spears shot from the sword and towards the cracked barrier, breaking it like fine glass and stabbing the large spider demon which hovered in the air. At the same time, Sesshoumaru, sent another volley of blue energy, which tore through the back of the spider demon.

Naraku looked up at the taiyoukai, floating on his cloud, and said in pain, "Damn you, Sesshoumaru… do not think that you can kill me this easily." All of a sudden, Naraku let his miasma loose in the air.

The miasma, mushroomed in a light grey putrid cloud which spilt down to the ground. Inuyasha, who was watching the flow coming down to him, had to run quickly away.

"Kagome…" said Kikyo weakly, as she felt herself being lowered.

"I'm going to have to let you go for a moment," said Kagome as she set the frail miko down. Kagome then stood up and held her bow up and fitted an arrow to it. She did not have to aim, as the miasma was all over the place.

"Oii!" Inuyasha shouted at Kagome, "what you waiting for? An invitation?"

"Osuwari!" Kagome uttered softly as she shot the arrow which glowed like a pink comet and purified all the miasma on the ground. As Inuyasha fell spread eagle to the ground, Kikyo sighed and decided to turn a blind eye on him, for this time.

Kagome looked at the remainder of the miasma and sighed, as she pulled another arrow out. Suddenly, Kikyo said, "Fire two arrows instead of…one."

Kagome turned around to Kikyo, whom she found to be staring at her. Thinking what Kikyo said made sense; Kagome turned around while drawing another arrow from her quiver and then fitted both arrows to the bow. It wasn't easy fitting both arrows, but Kagome manage to do it. Then holding the bow higher, Kagome shot both arrows at once. Her powers flared out of each arrow, making them look like pink comets as they flew high up in the air.

The arrows flew in an arch, and when they tipped down, her arrows dived into what remained of the miasma and purified all of it.

Naraku laughed and said, "My, my it looks like someone got stronger." After he said that, hundreds of tentacles burst forth from his body and headed towards Kagome, Kikyo and Inuyasha. Quickly, Sesshoumaru sent one of his powerful orbs of blue youki at the tentacles; however, it was only strong enough to destroy about half of them. Then, out of no where, Hiraikotsu came flying toward the tentacles, and Inuyasha, who finally got up, sent Kaze no Kizu up to destroy the tentacles which remained.

Sesshoumaru knew then, that he could not fight Naraku up from the air, and flew down to stand in front of his beloved Kagome, as his younger brother came to stand next to him.

Hiraikotsu flew back to its mistress, who rode on a youkai cat named Kirara, that flew high in the air in front of Naraku.

The two brothers stood with their swords at a ready stance. Their long silver hair waved up and down in the breeze that passed through the impromptu battlefield, deep inside a forest, as long white sleeves with red sakura's, flapped in the breeze beside shorter pure red sleeves with black straps at its end. Two pairs of golden eyes looked up at their enemy as an eerie silence washed over the battlefield… like it was tolling the oncoming of death.

To be continued… … …

--------------------------------------------

Okay I must first say this… …

DON'T KILL ME FOR LEAVING THE CHAPTER LIKE THAT.

My, it's good to be back! I wonder how many of you out there are still reading this story. Wow now it feels right to call this a story. So how do you like the new format?

Is it better from the poem format?

Tell me what you think.

I apologize for taking so long to get the chapters out, but I am really really busy now, if you will read my profile, you will know why, but I will try my best to update this story, and don't you worry, there is an ending for this story and its sad to say that it's a couple chapters away.

Bye for now!

Advi.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, names or characters. All rights to Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise studios, and VIZ.

_Howdy y'all! I'm back after an almost eternal hiatus, and now since I'm back, I promise to keep on posting once every week until the story reaches its end._

_**In The Rain**_

Kikyo's Death

-------------------------------------------

The two brothers stood with their swords at a ready stance. Their long silver hair waved up and down in the breeze that passed through the impromptu battlefield deep inside a forest; long white sleeves with red sakura's, flapped in the breeze beside shorter pure red sleeves with black straps at its end. Two pairs of golden eyes looked up at their enemy as an eerie silence washed over the battlefield… tolling the oncoming of death.

Silence…

A bulbous and monstrous grey spider that had a human torso of a good looking man on its head, was badly wounded, but strangely, the human form on top of its ugly head, chucked evilly at it's adversaries. However, his laugh was a bluff to show his enemies that he feared them not, though he was badly wounded. Naraku knew that if he wanted to survive this battle, he had to get through the two inuyoukai brothers, and get to that troublesome miko, Kagome, and get the Shikon jewel from her, so he can use its powers to recuperate and kill these insolent pests that keep getting in his way.

Over 50 green and grayish tentacles sprouted from the spider's body and flailed themselves in the air. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes coolly at the sight before him and simply gave a cold, "Humph," while Inuyasha's eyes went wide.

"He's still this powerful?" Inuyasha asked, softly.

"Fool," said Sesshoumaru softly, Inuyasha gritted his teeth at once at his brother, and growled, "Who you calling a fool, huh, Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru ignored his statement and said, "Use the Kongousouha and destroy those tentacles, then get out of my way, if you don't want to die."

"Heh!" said Inuyasha rudely, "Like I'm gonna let you look cool!"

Sesshoumaru turned his arctic glare onto his brother and in a voice full of anger and spite, Sesshoumaru said, "If you want to look cool, then," he turned and pointed his sword at a point behind Kagome and Kikyo, and said, "go and sit over there you worthless child and leave this battle to those who wish to be rid of that filthy hanyou! A person like you, who merely wishes to show off his unpolished skills, has no right to be on a battlefield!"

Inuyasha's face turned red with fury, he became furious that Sesshoumaru called him a child, and said that his skills were unpolished and that he had no right to be on the battlefield. By all right, though Inuyasha, the person who had no right to be on a battlefield was Sesshoumaru, after all, Naraku was his prey, he was the one who was hurt the most by Naraku, and Sesshoumaru just wanted the glory of defeating Naraku all for himself. Those thoughts made Inuyasha even more furious as he opened his mouth to curse the living daylights out Sesshoumaru, when Kagome shouted, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING INUYASHA?? LOOK IN FRONT OF YOU!"

Inuyasha looked in front and saw all of Naraku's tentacles coming towards him in a barrage of pointed barbs. Sesshoumaru knocked Inuyasha out of the way and in his hand, Tokijin crackled wildly with blue energy that he unleashed in a wide sweep. A humongous ball of energy shot from Tokijin and tore through all of the tentacles, destroying them at once. Debris littered onto the ground like rain as Sesshoumaru spoke to Inuyasha, not once turning his eyes away from Naraku, saying, "Be gone… a person like you does not belong on a battlefield."

Inuyasha got to his feet and held Tessaiga at ready, and said, "Keh, yeah right! Like I'm listening to you."

"Humph…" said Sesshoumaru, flicking smoke off his sword, "If you get in my way you useless bum, I'll kill you."

Inuyasha smirked and said, "Heh… make sure you don't get in my way!"

"Ludicrous!" Sesshoumaru replied.

"Are…" Kikyo began as Kagome helped her to stand, "they always like that?" Kagome chuckled, and said, "Yes, it's natural for those two."

Kagome steadied Kikyo on her feet, and helped the frail miko to string an arrow to her bow. "When do you wish to fire?" Kagome asked.

"After the nearest killing blow is struck… by either brother," Kikyo answered.

"Okay," Kagome replied and watched Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha out in front.

Just then, Hiraikotsu sang through the air and took out two of the spider's legs. As it returned to its mistress, Naraku glared at Sango who rode on Kirara, but his attention was brought back to the two brothers, when he heard Inuyasha, yell, "Oii! Naraku! Just where do you think you're looking at!" When Naraku turned, he saw Inuyasha up in the air before him with Tessaiga raised high above his head.

"Kaze no Kizu!" Inuyasha cried, as he brought the blade down, unleashing three claws of youki that streaked through the air and towards Naraku, ripping the spider's grey chest and two more legs on his other side. Miasma, poured out of his body like blood, but like blood that melted anything it touched. Sesshoumaru however, held Tokijin down and watched carefully for his opportunity to strike. When Inuyasha glanced back at his brother, he was glad that he had not moved from his spot. Inuyasha landed on the ground, and kneeling, he said, "Hey, Naraku… prepare to die!" a ball of light gathered at Tessaiga's blade and shone brightly as he yelled, "KONGOUSOUHA!" and then swung his sword across from the ground and up to the sky, unleashing a hail of large diamond spears, which rained out of Tessaiga and shot straight towards Naraku, piercing him non-stop in a single sweep, tearing his body apart.

"Keh!" said Inuyasha, smiling victoriously. Then holding Tessaiga at the ready, he said, "I'll… …" but out of the blue, Kirara swept from the sky and using her mouth, grabbed Inuyasha by his collar and soared back into the sky and high up. "WHAT THE F DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING SANGO!!!" Inuyasha yelled angrily, as he trashed madly in the air. Miroku narrowed his eyes at the hanyou, as he leaned to the side and said, "Ungrateful aren't you? We just saved your life."

"WHAAADDA YOU MEAN YOU SAVED MY LIFE?? I WAS FG GOING TO FINISH OFF NARAKU!!" Inuyasha shouted angrily back at Miroku.

Sango glared at Inuyasha and said, "Look down!" Inuyasha looked down and saw Sesshoumaru holding Tokijin out in front of him as all of the sudden, great bolts of blue electricity shot from the sword and danced around Sesshoumaru. "You were in his way," said Sango narrowing her eyes at the hanyou.

"AND WHAT?" Inuyasha replied angrily, "YOU GUYS ARE HIS LACKEYS NOW?"

"Hey, Sango," said Miroku impishly, "perhaps the next time we shouldn't save his life." Miroku then yelled at Inuyasha, saying, "LISTEN! WE GOT YOU OUT OF THE WAY SO YOU CAN HELP KIKYO-SAMA! DO YOU THINK SHE HAS ENOUGH ENERGY TO SHOOT A PURIFIYING ARROW AT NARAKU THE WAY SHE IS NOW?"

Inuyasha quiet down and stopped struggling to break free from Kirara's hold, when he admitted to himself, that Miroku had a valid point.

The sky grew as dark as night, when thick dark clouds appeared out of no where, eclipsing the battlefield in darkness during the day. Then as it became pitch black, only the powerful bolts of lightning that danced madly around Sesshoumaru, lit the battlefield, while a blue light surrounded Sesshoumaru, whose long silver hair was now standing on end. Then he held the sword to the side, as his blue and electrifying youki sparked violently off the broadside of the sword, and softly, Sesshoumaru uttered, "Soryuuha."

Kagome had to hold on to Kikyo with all the might she had in her, to keep herself and the frail miko, plus Shippou, on the ground, as the force from Sesshoumaru's move was so powerful, it created hurricane-like winds that blew in all directions. And when he swung his sword, unleashing his move, it was as if a powerful bomb had just gone off. A great flash of light blinded everyone who watched the battle as his move, that was formed from nothing but the sheer velocity and strength of his youki, tore up the ground as it shot to Naraku in a blink of an eye and completely decimated the giant spider. The force of Sesshoumaru's move was so powerful that it destroyed not only Naraku but the forest behind him for miles on end until it got to a mountain in the distance and slammed destructively into it, tearing the lower part of its phase.

Quickly, Kirara swooped behind Sesshoumaru and dropped Inuyasha near Kagome who had Kikyo standing. Kikyo aimed her arrow at a big black cloud that was Naraku and with Kagome's help, she pulled back on the string. "Let go," said Kikyo weakly and Kagome released the arrow which glowed a very bright pink and flew towards the cloud, but it was fast loosing altitude and speed as it soared towards the cloud. Inuyasha knew Kikyo's arrow would never reach Naraku, and swung Tessaiga down, unleashing a volley of Kaze no Kizu that picked up the arrow as it dived to the ground, and pushed it towards the cloud that was Naraku and purified it. Kirara landed in front of Inuyasha and all those on the battlefield watched, as Naraku was purified by Kikyo's power, her reiyouku.

Before anyone knew… it was over and they had won, Naraku was finally defeated… he was dead, finally.

Inuyasha dropped Tessaiga and fell to his knees and said, "I did it… finally… Naraku's dead… I have finally taken revenge for Kikyo."

Miroku held his right hand out and unwound the rosary that sealed the Kazaana and saw the hole in his hand slowly disappearing as he and Sango got off Kirara.

"AH! Kikyo!" Kagome suddenly shouted, turning everyone's attention to her.

Kikyo and fallen to the ground and was not moving. Kagome had just knelt down to the miko, when Inuyasha came and roughly pushed Kagome away, and knelt by Kikyo's side. Miroku and Sango saw the hurt on Kagome's face and then turned to look at Sesshoumaru to see him glaring icily at the hanyou. Kagome wanted to cry, all she wanted to do was to see if Kikyo was okay, but the way Inuyasha had acted, hurt her more than the push he gave her. Kagome looked to Sesshoumaru and saw him silently nod his head to her, telling her to come to him. Kagome got up and walked to Sesshoumaru, who using his tail, held her to his soft and fluffy pelt once she stood by his side, his only hand still holding Tokijin out, as its blade had hot vapors coming off it.

"Kikyo?" Inuyasha asked, as he cradled the miko in his arms, when he had brought her to rest on his lap.

Kikyo opened her eyes weakly at Inuyasha, her vision was blurry, but she could make out the fuzzy image that was Inuyasha by his silver hair and his amber eyes. "Inu…yasha… it's time to say good… b…bye…"

Inuyasha was horrified, he had just defeated Naraku, their enemy and avenged her, and now she was going to die? This wasn't fair; he wanted to be with her, the woman he loved. "Goodbye?" Inuyasha asked, as he looked down at Kikyo smiling weakly at him, "No… but you can't go… not now… we can finally be together… Kikyo."

Kikyo had to admit, she didn't want to leave, but her time was up, and she knew it. She only had time to live to take her revenge, and not more than that. "We… never were m… meant to be… to… gather." said Kikyo weakly.

"What are you talking about?" said Inuyasha, his eyes welling with tears. "We are meant to be together, you and I."

Kagome watched the scene from Sesshoumaru side, with tears falling from her eyes. "Why is fate so cruel to them?" she asked softly, and to answer her, Sesshoumaru held her even closer. Even Sango, who watched the scene beside Miroku, was getting teary eyed, even though she was happy that Miroku could now live his whole life, one of their group will never have the happiness he wished for.

"No…" said Kikyo weakly. "We… were never… meant to be… we ended up killing each other… we never really trusted each other… Inuyasha."

"But," said Inuyasha holding Kikyo higher to him, "We're back together, some how the fates gave you a chance to come back to life, you came back to me."

Kikyo struggled to reach up to Inuyasha's face, that she could hardly see anymore. Inuyasha helped her, and held her cold clay hand to his warm face and watched with tears falling from his eyes, as she used what remained of her energy to speak her last words to him. "B…but… now… it's… my… time… to leave… I… am… a dead… s… soul… I must… return to… the world… where I… went… I… I… … love… you… Inu…ya-sha… let… me… go… p-please… don't cry… I'm… de…" Kikyo's eyes closed, as her head titled back and her hand fell away.

Inuyasha's tears fell onto her face as his eyes went wide. He shook his head and said, "No! No! Kikyo! Kikyo! Wake Up! Kikyo! Kikyo! KIKYOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Inuyasha hugged her lifeless clay body and cried into her chest. But as he did that, Kikyo's body started to become lighter. Inuyasha pulled his head up and saw Kikyo's body crumbling into sand before his eyes. "NO!" he shouted, as her body turned to sand that littered the ground before him and onto his lap and his hands. "No! Why? Why? Please, why won't you even LET ME HAVE HER BODY TO BURY!!!!!" Inuyasha shouted to the sky.

Kagome dried her eyes and walked towards Inuyasha, who was crying before a mound of sand that was formerly Kikyo. Inuyasha heard her coming, and quickly got to his feet and ran to Kagome. He fell to his knees in front of Kagome and wrapped his arms around her legs, and still crying, said, "Kagome, I beg you please use the shikon no tama to bring Kikyo back! Please I beg you, please bring Kikyo back!" Kagome looked down sadly at him and thought about the words Kikyo had told her, while Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were fighting.

'_Kagome… after the battle is done, I will die. Whatever you do, even if Inuyasha begs you, do not bring me back to life. You and I, Kagome, are one, though we are not the same persons. It is impossible for you and I to be alive in the same time period. Kagome, remember my words. Do not bring me back to life, if you do, you will die in this era and you will never be born again. I am glad that I got to meet you, Kagome, I'm sorry for all the hurt I caused you, please live happily with Sesshoumaru. I know he is the right one for you, and he will love and respect you for all eternity._'

"I… can't," said Kagome looking away from Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru sensing that this scene wasn't going to get any easier for his beloved, started to walk to her, making Miroku, Sango, Kirara and Shippou to stare cautiously at the Taiyoukai.

"WHY NOT?" Inuyasha shouted at Kagome, as he tightened his grip around her legs. Kagome whimpered, and said, "I can't… Kikyo told me I couldn't."

"You're lying!" Inuyasha growled up at her, but as he did, he suddenly found that he was looking up Tokijin's blade and up at Sesshoumaru, glaring frostily down at him. "Take your hands off what is mine," said Sesshoumaru coldly to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha barred his fangs at his brother and said, "She's mine, she is Kikyo!" Kagome's eyes widen in horror, before she jumped out of Inuyasha's grasp and hid behind Sesshoumaru, who still held his sword to Inuyasha's neck.

"Though you have eyes," said Sesshoumaru, "you are blind. Kagome is Kagome, while Kikyo is Kikyo. Though Kagome is the dead miko's reincarnation, she is not that miko." Sesshoumaru turned around, and quickly, his golden orb formed around him and Kagome, whom he held close to his body. Swiftly, the orb rose into the air and flew away.

"KIKYO!" Inuyasha called out as he tried to jump towards Sesshoumaru's golden orb but failed to catch it, as the orb sped away quickly from the battlefield.

"Hey, Inuyasha," said Shippou, as Inuyasha landed on the ground, "Why are you calling Kagome, Kikyo? They aren't the same." Inuyasha shot Shippou a deadly look and said, "Of course they are the same person!" He then turned to Sango and Miroku and said, "Come on! We have to save Kagome from Sesshoumaru." He then took off running in the direction the orb took, while Sango and Miroku looked at each other.

"This isn't going to end well is it?" said Sango, worriedly to Miroku.

"No," he answered.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

Howdy Hidey Ho! I'm back!

Yup, after what seemed like an eternal hiatus, Advi is back and here to finish this story once and for all!

Inuyasha: Well, it's about time you did! And how many people said they were going to send you poo if you didn't update??

Advi: Umm… 4 I think.

Inuyasha: Hey, nutcase, what's with making me look bad??

Advi: Umm… so the ending will be great!

Inuyasha: But you're making me look really bad here. Hey woman, you're not making me a villain, are you, now that Naraku is dead?

Advi: No, you are not the villain. How can you be, you're Inuyasha.

Inuyasha: So, I'm still the hero?

Advi: rolls eyes Yes, you are still the hero.

Inuyasha: In this story?

Advi: No, that's Sesshoumaru.

Inuyasha: Hey!

Advi: Duh… this is a Sess/Kag story!

Advi: PS, everyone, for more information about when the next chapter will be out, keep checking my profile! Thanks!


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, names or characters. All rights to Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise studios, and VIZ.

_This chapter is dedicated to Mizu the Water Goddess, who kept telling me to write this story all the months I didn't. Thanks Mizu-chan! _

_**In The Rain**_

Secret of the Higurashi Shrine

-------------------------------------------

A golden orb shot through the sky so quickly, that if you blinked, you would miss seeing it. The orb continued going east and then north, heading for the central part of the island. Those who saw this golden orb streaking through the sky, pointed up at it and wondered what it was. Was it a kami? Was it an oni? No one knew. At last the orb reached its destination; the Inuyasha forest, and the village people who saw the orb knew it must be a youkai for only youkai's went there. The villagers knew not to follow the path the golden orb took.

When Sesshoumaru landed, he chose to land in the clearing where the well was. The golden light that encircled him and his beloved, started to fall away and Sesshoumaru looked down at his beloved Kagome, who still clung on to his armor. Kagome was in a world of her own, her mind replayed Kikyo's death and Inuyasha's hurtful words like a broken record, saying, over and over again in a voice that haunted her mind, '_She's mine, she is Kikyo!_'

Tears started to well in Kagome's eyes, and Sesshoumaru seeing that, gently held Kagome by the back of her head and said, "Kagome."

His voice that was as deep as the deepest ocean, woke Kagome up from her little world, to notice that she had unshed tears in her eyes, Kagome stepped back, making Sesshoumaru release his gentle hold on her, while she blinked and rubbed her eyes, saying "Oh… where are we?"

"Where," said Sesshoumaru, calmly, "I presumed you wished to be."

Kagome looked about her surroundings and found herself in the Inuyasha forest and, not just at any part of the forest, but by the Bone Eaters Well, where she and Sesshoumaru first kissed. She turned her gaze back at Sesshoumaru and softened her features at him. Sesshoumaru blinked almost emotionlessly at her, and asked, "Is this place not where you wished to be?"

"No," said Kagome, as she gave him a grateful smile, "This is where I wished to come."

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, looking at peace and then opened them, revealing golden orbs that gazed tenderly at her. He stepped closer to Kagome and wrapped his hands around her waist and, said, "My beloved, I know I can not at this moment heal the wounds that my brother has inflicted on you, but I shall wait here if you wish to return to your family."

Kagome was stunned by the gentleness of his words and of his unparalleled understanding of her situation. She looked up to see him only gazing down lovingly at her. "Oh Sesshoumaru," said Kagome, who then rested her head onto his furry tail, "thank you."

"Was I loving enough?" Sesshoumaru asked in his all calm and composed tone, so that his question seemed rather odd. But Kagome remembered that all these were new to him and, she did promise to teach Sesshoumaru about loving someone but, so far he hasn't set a foot wrong.

"Yes, Koiishi," Kagome replied softly, as she nuzzled into his soft white fur, "you are very loving. Thank you."

"Do itashimashite… my love," Sesshoumaru spoke tenderly. He then pulled away from Kagome, and said, "Go… there is no reason for you to linger here. I only ask to know when you shall return."

Kagome looked down and thought about his question before she answered, "Tomorrow morning. I wish to speak to my mother, and… I know Inuyasha will be able to make it here by then… I have to prepare myself to face him… and I know, I know I can not do it now."

Sesshoumaru then pulled Kagome to him and, bent down, and placed a kiss on her forehead. Kagome closed her eyes as she relished the feel of his lips on her forehead but, as he pulled away, Kagome reached up, and placed her hands around his neck, and pulled him down and kissed him. Sesshoumaru was surprised by her actions, but smiled as he kissed her back and held her tightly to his body and felt Kagome deepening their kiss. After a while, she let Sesshoumaru go and they stepped away, both with rather becoming blushes on their cheeks.

"Well," said Kagome timidly. "I'll take my leave now. I'll see you tomorrow, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru nodded his head at her, and Kagome turns around and walked to the well. Sitting down on the lip of the well, Kagome suddenly felt an overwhelming feeling that something bad was going to happen. She looked down at the bottom of the well and felt a chill run up her spine. She turned back to look at Sesshoumaru and saw him give her a rare kind smile. Kagome thought that all she was feeling were just jitters that she was finally going home after such a long stay in this time period.

"I'll see you tomorrow," said Kagome to Sesshoumaru, and to answer her, he gently inclined his head to her.

Kagome turned around and took a deep breath; then she pushed her self from the lip of the well and into it. She fell into darkness that faded as a blue glow encircled her and Kagome knew in just a short while; she would be seeing her family again.

But just as a smile came to her face, Kikyo's voice spoke in her head, '_Whatever you do, even if Inuyasha begs you, do not bring me back to life._' '_It is impossible for you and I to be alive in the same time period._' '_Do not bring me back to life, if you do, you will die in this era and you will never be born again._'

"Perhaps…" said Kagome as she felt tears welling up in her eyes, "Inuyasha would have been happier if I brought Kikyo back and I died instead." The shikon no tama drifted up in front of Kagome, and as she saw her own warped image on it, she shook her head and said, "No… he wouldn't, either way… one of us dies, and Kikyo choose to go, but at least this time she did all that she wanted to before going. Not many people get to do that." Kagome reached out for the jewel with both hands and brought it close to her chest. But just as she did, she heard Inuyasha's voice echoing in her head, saying, '_She's mine, she is Kikyo!_' Then the last word she heard Inuyasha call her, '_KIKYO!_'

Kagome closed her eyes in pain and as silent tears rolled down her cheek, she said, "Through all the painful words he has uttered in the past… that was the most painful to hear," more tears started to pour from her eyes as the muscles in her neck started to tighten and she started to sob. "In the end…" Kagome wept, "to him… I'll always be… Kikyo's shadow."

Kagome felt her feet touch the floor of the bone eaters well in her time, and she fell to her knees and leaned against the cold stone wall of the well and cried. She sobbed so hard that she was shaking. She wished just then that she didn't leave Sesshoumaru and wished that he was here to hold and comfort her. However Kagome found no one to comfort her at the bottom of the Bone Eater's Well. She cried hard and long and once she could cry no more, Kagome stood up and wiped her face dry on her sleeve. After making sure that she at least appeared to be her normal cheerful self, Kagome started to climb up the well. Once she got to the top, she noticed that the door was closed on the well house. Usually when ever she got back, the door would always be open. Kagome guessed that she's been away for far too long. Maybe her family thought that she had decided to live in the Sengoku Jidai and was never coming back.

Kagome walked up the stairs and went to the door and slid it open. The air that greeted her smelt oddly of smoke and tinged with fumes. Oh yeah, she was back in her own polluted time. It's was a good thing she couldn't bring Sesshoumaru over, or the poor guy would probably be very sick right now, considering his heighten senses as a pure Youkai. She walked out of the well house and stretched, it sure was good to be back in her own time and as she held her arms down to her side, she heard a familiar voice call out, "Kagome!"

Kagome turned around and saw her grandfather standing in the distance with a broom in his hand. "Jii-chan!" Kagome called out gladly. Her heart really longed to see her family and before she knew it, Kagome ran towards her grandfather and when she reached him, she fell to her knees and hugged him around the middle, saying, "Jii-chan, I missed you so much!"

"Oooooh, I missed you too, Kagome!" said her grandfather hugging her back. "I'm so happy to see that you have returned Kagome!" said Jii-chan, "You've been gone for so long that we all thought that you had decided to stay there."

"No, jii-chan," said Kagome, willing herself not to cry again, "no… this is my home, this is where I belong, I haven't decided if I want to stay there or not!"

All of the sudden, Souta's voice called out saying, "Jii-chan… Mama's asking if you want to have leek soup tonight. Hey, who's that hugging you?"

Jii-chan moved to the side as he turned around, and as Kagome's hands fell away from her grandfather, she saw her little brother Souta, standing at the top of the steps. Kagome gasped, she really had been away for a long time, because when she wasn't here, Souta had become taller.

"Aaah!" Souta cried out as he saw Kagome, "nee-chan!" he called out as he ran down the steps. Kagome got quickly to her feet and ran to her brother, and when they met, Souta hugged his elder sister so violently that the siblings landed on the floor. "I can't belief it," said Souta, as he hugged Kagome fiercely, "you're back!"

"Of course I'm back," said Kagome softly, as she held Souta's head closer to her and leaned her chin into his hair, "this is where I belong."

"I thought I'll never see you again, nee-chan!" said Souta as he pulled away. He then looked to the side and asked, "Where's Inu-no-niichan?"

Kagome winced as Inuyasha's anger ridden face appeared for a brief moment before her eyes, Kagome tried her best to mask her sadness, and said, "Inuyasha didn't come with me this time."

Souta looked up at his sister and said, "Did you two fight again?"

Kagome widened her eyes in surprise at her little brother and thought, '_Okay, just how many times have I returned just because I had a fight with Inuyasha?_'

"No," said Kagome, "We didn't… not really… actually," she then pulled out the whole shikon no tama and said, "I came back because it's finally over, what I had to do over there."

"Whoa!" said Souta as he looked at the complete jewel in her hands. "So," said Souta, looking up at Kagome, "does this mean that you're back for good?"

"Yes," Kagome answered with a smile. Jii-chan walked up to Kagome and bent down to her and said, "Uwaaah! So this is the real Shikon no tama?" He tried to touch it, but Kagome slapped his hand away and, said, "No touching, jii-chan! I'm the only one who can touch it and not be affected by its power."

Jii-chan looked at her with pride in his eyes and, said, "I can't belief that my cute granddaughter is the legendary Miko of the Shikon no Tama!"

Kagome sighed at him and, said, "Yes, but that still means no touching."

"Ah-h-h-h, your so mean to me!" said Jii-chan pretending to cry, but his grandchildren ignored him as they got to his feet, with Souta saying, "Mama will be so surprised to see you! Oh, wait a minute this means she gonna send me to the shop to buy more food!"

"Cheer up, Souta," said Kagome, as she gave his back a pat, "it's for a good occasion!"

"Yeah, you can say that again!" said Souta cheerfully.

"Hey!" said Jii-chan getting to his feet, "don't ignore me!"

- - - - - -

On the occasion of Kagome's return, Asami, Kagome's mother cooked an extra special dinner of leek soup, fried chicken (Japanese style) pan fried dumplings, and individual udon casseroles with clams. All of which was amazingly gone by the time they finished talking with one another. After the hearty dinner, Jii-chan whisked Souta from the kitchen, to leave the mother and daughter alone. He knew that Asami had been worrying about Kagome, and that she had been having many sleepless nights.

While Kagome washed the dishes for her mother, Asami stood by her daughter's side as she dried them. "I'm glad that you're back, Kagome," said Asami, gazing lovingly at her precious and only daughter.

Kagome smiled sadly and said, "Mama, I'm sorry I was gone for so long, but a lot of stuff was happening over there."

"But," said Asami understandingly, "you have completed what ever it is you had to do over there, so… what are you going to do now?"

"Umm…" said Kagome, pausing in what she was doing, and stared up at the kitchen ceiling, "I want to go back to school."

Asami smiled at her and said, "Well, Kagome, you will have to wait 7 months to do that."

"WHAT?" said Kagome in disbelieve.

"Oh my, Kagome…" said Asami looking kindly down at her daughter, "have you lost track of how long you've been gone over there?"

"Err…" said Kagome uncertainly, "A couple of weeks?" she asked.

Kagome watched as her mother's eyes widened in surprise at her, and then watched her say, "Kagome… you've been gone for three months."

"T-t-t-three months?" Kagome repeated in horror.

Asami chuckled softly, and then said, "My…. Kagome, you really did lose track of time over on the other side of the well."

Kagome stared at her mother in shock. How could she stand there with a gentle smile on her face and act like what Kagome had done was something funny or silly like accidentally adding salt when you should have used sugar in the recipe. The weight of what she had done, gripped Kagome, as she stepped away from the sink and said, "Mama…" she said sadly, "I'm so sorry, I must have made you worry so much… I… I… don't know what to say. How can you even welcome me back with open arms? You must be so angry at me."

Asami took a step closer to her daughter, and placed her hands on her shoulders, and said, "Kagome, no matter where you go and for long you are gone, I will always welcome you home with open arms. You are my daughter, you are my child, and no matter what happens, a mother will always love her child." Asami then brought Kagome into her embrace and said, "True, I did worry about you, and I prayed everyday that Inuyasha would take care of you and never let you come into harm. And I guess my prayers were answered." Said Asami, as she held her daughter. But Kagome, on hearing what her mother was saying about Inuyasha, could not hold her tears back anymore and started to cry.

Asami at first thought that Kagome was crying because she was feeling guilty, so she held her and patted her head, saying, "There, there… I'm not mad at you, so you don't have a reason to cry." But Kagome started to cry even harder and clutched on to her mother's blouse with a death grip, and Asami knew that her daughter wasn't crying because she was feeling guilty, she was crying because of something else, and that the mentioned of Inuyasha's name had probably triggered it. Asami stood there for sometime until Kagome had calmed down a bit before she had her sit at the table, and Asami went about the kitchen to make tea. Once she came back with a steaming mug of tea, Asami sat down beside her daughter, and said, "What happened over on the other side?"

Kagome looked up at her mother and then down at her hands.

Kagome never acted like this, thought Asami and she knew something serious must have happened to her daughter. So she tried another question, "Did you and Inuyasha have another fight?" Kagome looked up at her mother, and as her eyes fell from her mother's face to the steaming cup of tea, Kagome said, "Kinda… but not really."

Well, thought Asami, at least she got an answer. She may not have understood it, but at least she got Kagome to speak. "Seems complicated," said Asami calmly, "do you want to talk about it."

Kagome reached for the cup and said, "I don't know where to start." Kagome just held the cup and looked at it; she did not pick it up to drink its contents.

"Well," said Asami in a compassionate tone, "if you have completed all that you have done, you should be celebrating… but… something happened between you and Inuyasha? What? I thought that you were in love with him… did he rebuke your feelings? I thought for sure he had some strong feelings for you."

"No," said Kagome, tears welling up in her eyes, "his feelings were not for me, but for the other person he sees in me, the person I'm reincarnated from, Kikyo!"

"Kikyo?" Asami echoed.

Kagome looked up at her mother and told her how she was the reincarnation from the miko that Inuyasha had fallen in love with, and then, how they betrayed each other. Then she told the story of how after Inuyasha was sealed to the Goshinboku for 50 years, she came around and unsealed him. After that, she told her mother how Kikyo came back and how she found out what really happened between them and how they were tricked into betraying each other.

"What a sad story…" said Asami trailing away, as she finally saw Kagome pick up the mug of tea and drank it's now warm contents. "But," Asami continued, "you still fell in love with him and stayed by his side no matter what, even though you said he always went to her. I'm very proud of you Kagome… but I'm rather upset at Inuyasha from treating you so."

"Are you still in love with Inuyasha?" Asami asked her daughter worriedly. She didn't think that Kagome should be stuck in such a one sided and unfair relationship.

"No…" said Kagome kindly, as she remembered how she and Sesshoumaru parted, "no, not anymore. I did love him for a very long time, but my love for him was never requited. However, I fell in love with another person."

"Oh," said Asami, rather relieved and somewhat excited, "so… who is this other person, is he part of your group over there?"

"No…." said Kagome blushing, "Actually… he's… umm… Inuyasha's older brother."

"Huh?" said Asami, completely blown away by shock. Kagome sat there blushing brilliantly at her mother, waiting for her to say something first. Asami calmed herself down and uncertainly asked, "Does he act like Inuyasha?"

Kagome quickly raised her hand and said, "No, no, not at all! Sesshoumaru is Inuyasha's complete opposite!" Asami's eyes widened a little as she said, "Sesshoumaru?" she then turned away and, said, "I think I've heard his name somewhere before."

"Eh… how could you," said Kagome, "I doubt very much that any human in this century could be named Sesshoumaru, it's not a very common name even among us humans."

"You do have a point there, Kagome," said Asami, smiling at her daughter, "So what is this Sesshoumaru like?" For the first time since she started crying, Kagome smiled, and said, "Oh he's very refined, and gentle and kind, but he won't let you see all those qualities unless he accepts you as his equal, and that's not many people, considering Sesshoumaru is a very aristocratic Taiyoukai."

"Eh… he's youkai as well?" Asami asked.

"Err… mama… did you think he was human?" Kagome asked.

"Oh yeah," said Asami, "with a name like Sesshoumaru, how could I think that he would be human," said Asami sounding a little embarrassed. "But," she asked her daughter, "why then are you crying? Oh dear… did a rift between the brothers occur because…" Asami didn't get to finish her sentence, because Kagome cut through, saying, "Since time in definite, there has always been a rift between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha… but that's not what's bothering me."

"Then," said her mother kindly, "what is troubling you, Kagome? You have found a new love, you have accomplished what it is you had to do there… oh don't tell me… he treats you the same as his younger brother?"

"No," said Kagome, blushing, "Sesshoumaru, as I've said is Inuyasha's opposite. Sesshoumaru is very loving, he loves me and he doesn't just say it, he shows it… but I'm troubled by what happened at the final battle."

Asami looked on with concern at her daughter and, asked, "Kagome… what happened?"

Kagome looked up in to her mother's eyes, and said, "Kikyo died… right after the end of the battle."

"Oh…" said Asami, "and how is Inuyasha taking her loss?"

"Not good," said Kagome. "He begged me to bring her back to life… but it was something Kikyo made me promise not to do." Kagome saw the look on her mother's face and saw her open her mouth to speak, but before she could, Kagome said, "Kikyo told me not to because if I did, I would be the one to die instead, as she and I can't be alive in the same time zone… and now that I think about it, she's right. I am her reincarnation, so that mean's we have the same soul, but that doesn't make us the same person. However, that's something Sesshoumaru was able to see and what Inuyasha can't… not even now."

"In the end," said Asami, "Kikyo was a good person wasn't she?"

"Yeah, she was." Kagome answered, and continued, "She even said I made a good choice with Sesshoumaru. When she told me not to bring her back to life, I could see the worry she had in her eyes for me. I know I used to hate Kikyo in the past, but just then, when we spoke together for the last time, all my previous dislike of her just melted away. I kinda wished that I took sometime to get to know her, I think I would have liked her if I wasn't so crazy over Inuyasha."

Asami chuckled and said, "Yes, sometimes being in love makes us blind. But Kagome, I want to know… how did Inuyasha react when you said you couldn't bring Kikyo back?"

Kagome's features were filled with pain as she said, "He got very angry… I think if Sesshoumaru didn't step in, Inuyasha… would have hurt me." Before Kagome knew it, she had began to cry again, but she still continued, "He told Sesshoumaru that I was his, because I was Kikyo and when Sesshoumaru took me and left the battlefield, Inuyasha started to chase after us and he kept calling me Kikyo!" Kagome ended up sobbing into her hands.

Asami closed her eyes now that she knew what pained her daughter. However, Asami had to admit that if Inuyasha were right in front of her, she would give him a slap and set him straight. Asami made a mental note to do that the next time the hanyou came over, after all, no one caused this much pain to her daughter and got away with it scot-free.

"Kagome," said Asami sternly, "the first thing you have to do is too stop crying, I know what he did and said was painful, but you have to put that pain aside." Kagome's tears stopped at once, as she heard her mother speak to her. "You are stronger then this, I know you can get over the pain, but the next thing you have to do is go back tomorrow and see Inuyasha." Kagome's head shot up, but before she could say anything, her mother said, "You can't keep running away from him, you'll have to face him one day and sooner the better. Now Kagome… the reason why you came back was because you were running away from him, wasn't it?" Kagome stared at her mother in surprise. Though Kagome herself was unwilling to admit it to herself, she had indeed returned home to runaway from all the pain on the other side, and Inuyasha.

Kagome's closed her eyes and answered, "Yes… one of the reasons why I came back was to run away from that place."

"What about Sesshoumaru?" Asami asked, "How do you think he's feeling through all this?" Kagome's eyes opened wide, she never once thought about how Sesshoumaru felt. "Oh kami!" said Kagome as she pushed her fringe up, "he must think me weak!"

"Kagome!" said her mother, sounding a little like Sesshoumaru when he got angry, "Don't you go putting yourself down! How did he treat you during all this? Did he try to cheer you up?"

"Yes, he did," Kagome answered, "he cheered me up and even held me and he brought me back all the way to the well and… right now… he's… waiting patiently… near the well… waiting for my return…" Kagome trailed off, realizing how selfish her actions were to Sesshoumaru. "Mama," Kagome began, her voice back to its usual strength, "tomorrow… I'm going back to Sesshoumaru and, to set things straight with Inuyasha."

Asami nodded her head proudly and said, "I know you'll do well tomorrow. Inuyasha has just lost someone he loves dearly, remember that… and if you can… try and bring Sesshoumaru back so I can meet him!"

"Err…" said Kagome staring at shock at her mother. Somehow she thought bringing Sesshoumaru to the future was a bad idea, imagine what an intelligent fellow like him from that era could learn from hers! Asami saw the look of mixed horror and shock on her daughter's face and, chuckled at her and patted her shoulder, saying, "You don't have to bring him tomorrow, you can bring him when you're comfortable to do so."

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief, as she said, "Thank's Mama… for a while there you really had me stunned."

Asami got up and smiled at her daughter and, just before she turned to finish washing the dishes, Asami said, "Kagome remember one thing… remind Inuyasha, that even though you are not Kikyo and that you love Sesshoumaru, you are still his friend. And… a friend is what he needs the most right now."

Kagome stood from the table and said, "I will Mama, thank you."

That night, as Kagome went to bed, she snuggled in between her covers and relished the feel of her bed and thought that she would want to wear something special for Sesshoumaru. But that no matter what, she was going to get through to Inuyasha's stubborn head and make sure that he never mistook her for Kikyo again.

- - - - - -

The next morning, after seeing Souta off to school, Kagome went right up to her bedroom and rummage around her closet until she found a deep red kimono that had no patterns on it. It was just left plain, throwing the kimono on the bed, she then made a racquet looking for the juban and obi that she had in mind. Asami went up to Kagome's room wondering what all the racquet was about. When she stepped in Kagome's room, she looked about all the clothes strewn on the floor and said, "Kagome, what are you doing?"

Without looking up from what she was doing, Kagome answered, "I'm looking for that pure black juban, with the black lace on the collar and the sleeves… AH! Found it!" said Kagome victoriously as she pulled it out of her closet and then bent down and pulled a pure black obi from the closet.

"Err… yes," said Asami, as she looked about the room and said, "but I repeat Kagome… what are you doing." Kagome then blushed and said, "I want to surprise Sesshoumaru."

"Oh I see," said Asami smiling, she then left the room, saying, "okay, but make sure you clean up this mess you created."

"Yes mama," Asami heard her daughter answer, as she closed the door on the room.

When Kagome was done, she looked absolutely stunning in the kimono. The black lace brought out the deep red of the kimono, and the pre-tied obi that was pure black, gave her an exotic look; and behind, the bow was crested in lace, and its tails that hung down to her knees, were also edged with black lace.

"I hope Sesshoumaru likes this," said Kagome as she twirled in front of the mirror, looking for any creases on her kimono that she needed to straighten out. Once she found everything satisfactory, Kagome left her room and went down the stairs. When she reached the landing, Kagome called out, "Mama, I'm leaving now to meet Sesshoumaru!"

"Oh," said Asami, replying from the kitchen, "let me walk you to the well." When Asami came out of the kitchen, she saw Kagome and said, "My goodness Kagome, you look very beautiful in that."

Kagome blushed at her mother and said, "Thank you."

The mother and daughter then left the house and walked to the well house together, talking animatedly to each other. Jii-chan was sweeping dry leaves just outside the well house and when he saw his daughter in-law and granddaughter coming in his direction, he stopped what he was doing and walked up to them saying, "Oh Kagome, you look stunning in that Kimono, but where are you two going?"

Asami answered him, saying, "Kagome's going back there to see her boyfriend." Kagome, however, turned a bright shade of magenta at once.

"WHAT?" Jii-chan cried out, "Boyfriend? So you and Inuyasha are finally getting somewhere?" Kagome's blush disappeared at once and she looked uncomfortable, while Asami held her daughter's shoulder and, said, "No, jii-chan, Inuyasha is not Kagome's boyfriend."

"Eh? What… I thought for sure that those two would…" Jii-chan didn't get to finish his sentence because Kagome finally spoke up, saying, "I'm sorry Jii-chan, but things didn't work out between him and me… and I moved on to someone else."

"Oh well," said Jii-chan looking down at his broom, "it's his lost then… so who's this new guy?"

"Oh," said Kagome smirking, "no one you might know, but back there he is a powerful taiyoukai." Kagome then climbed up the steps of the well house and opened the door.

"Tai… tai… tai… tai-you… youkai?" said jii-chan in shock.

Kagome giggled as she went into the house with her mother following and rolling her eyes at her daughter. Once they were inside, Asami softly said, "Kagome, you're absolutely mean to tease jii-chan like that."

With a smile on her face, Kagome turned around to her mother and said, "I'm sorry but I couldn't help myself." Asami shook her head at Kagome and then asked, "So, when will you be back?"

Kagome looked up at the ceiling of the well house and said, "I'm not sure… probably in the evening. I don't know when I'll be able to see Inuyasha, and… I don't know how long it will take for me to speak to him… considering the mood he's in."

"Take your time with Inuyasha," said Asami, compassionately to her daughter. "Don't forget at the moment, Inuyasha's whole world has just come crashing down and right now, he's in hell."

Kagome stared at her mother with eyes full of understanding and sympathy. If anyone could understand what Inuyasha was going through, it was her mother. After all, her mother went through one heck of a period of grief and mourning when her father was killed in the airline crash. Kagome was too young to remember much, but what she could remember of that dark period in her life was that her mother cried a lot.

"Thanks Mama," said Kagome, "I will." She then walked up to the well and sat down on its lip. Now being in a kimono made it harder for Kagome to turn about, so she had to hitch up the skirt of her kimono up to her knees, and moved them over into the well as she turned around, and when she accomplished that, Kagome gave her mother a smile and said, "See you later," with that, Kagome pushed herself into the well and fell… fast into darkness. The usual blue glow did not appear, and as Kagome watched the walls of the well pass her by in a blink, she landed hard at the bottom of the well and fell to her knees and gave an eep of pain, as she landed heavily on her knees and scrapped the palm of her hand on the rough surface of the wall to stop herself from hitting her head on it.

Before Kagome could compute what had happened, she heard her mother's voice from above call out, "Kagome?"

Kagome looked up and saw her mother's face looking down at her with worry. "I… didn't go through…" said Kagome in a low whisper to herself. Her heart began to beat fast against her chest, as she looked down at the dusty floor of the well and thought, '_Something must have happened on the other side!_'

"Inuyasha…" said Kagome realizing that Inuyasha must have come back to the well and blocked it like the time before. Though her palm stung, Kagome forced herself to climb up the well to try once again. When she reached the top, she saw her mother looking worriedly at her. Kagome climbed up of the well and said, "I think something must be happening on the other side," said Kagome in a voice that threatened to break. "I have a bad feeling about this," said Kagome, as she turned around to face the well.

Kagome bent down and pulled the fold of her kimono skirt apart to loosen its hold around her to give her more mobility. She then climbed up to the well lip and standing on it, she said, "I'm going to give it another try."

'_Please let me through,_' Kagome prayed in her mind, '_Please, well… let me go back to him… please let me go back and speak to Inuyasha_.' Kagome then jumped, but once again she fell quickly down the well into darkness. Knowing she hadn't gone through, she readied herself for the impact and this time, landed more smoothly at the bottom. When Kagome stood up, she saw her mother looking down at her. Again Kagome climbed up the well and this time, her hand really stung, as she went up and it even started to feel wet, Kagome knew then that her hand was bleeding. When she reached the top, she sat on the lip of the well and looked at her stinging palm. It was indeed bleeding from a nasty scratch that started from the bottom of her palm all the way up to the start of her fingers.

"Damn," she whispered.

Asami came to her daughter and saw the wound on her hand. She pulled a clean handkerchief from her pocket and wrapped it around Kagome's bleeding palm. Kagome looked up at her mother and said, "I'm worried, Mama… I'm worried that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru will hurt each other." Then fear crept into Kagome's heart. She remembered how bad their injuries were when both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha seriously battled each other. The first time, Sesshoumaru ended losing his left arm. The second time, Inuyasha was wounded badly by Sesshoumaru. The third time, Sesshoumaru almost lost his life when Inuyasha managed to master the Kaze no Kizu. Kagome feared, if the two brothers fought again and seriously… they might end up killing each other this time.

Kagome quickly stood up and said, "Sesshoumaru…"

Asami held her daughter back, and said, "But you said Sesshoumaru was a taiyoukai… so he can hold his own against Inuyasha… can't he?"

"Yes, he can…" said Kagome, "But… I've seen Inuyasha take down very powerful youkais… Menomaru… Kaguya-hime… Souunga… Ryuukotsusei… Moryuumaru… Meiojuu… and even more... I'm worried, he has become very strong and to tell the truth, the brothers, while different in person and in temper, are equals when it comes to fighting, even though Inuyasha is only hanyou."

"Kagome…" said Asami.

"I have to go… please let me through," said Kagome down to the well, "I have to go to Sesshoumaru!"

"Sesshoumaru?" said Jii-chan's voice all of the sudden in the well house.

Both mother and daughter turned to the old man, who stood at the doors of the well house. "Did you say Sesshoumaru?" said Jii-chan again.

Asami took a step away from her daughter and asked, "Jii-chan… do you know the name Sesshoumaru?" The old man walked away from the well house and grumbled, "Of course I do, how can I call myself the proprietor of this shrine if I did not."

Asami gasped, and said, "Of course… I have heard of Sesshoumaru's name before," when she ended her sentence, Asami ran up the steps of the well house to the door, leaving Kagome, standing in side the well house, feeling her blood running cold. "Why," said Kagome "…does jii-chan know Sesshoumaru's name?" Slowly, Kagome came out of the well house holding her hands close to her chest. She saw that her mother had caught up to her grandfather and that they were talking in front of the shrine.

"Jii-chan," Kagome heard her mother speak to her grandfather, "how do you know the name of Kagome's boyfriend?"

"Huh?" said Jii-chan, in surprise, "That guy is Kagome's boyfriend?" But then his eyes came to rest on his granddaughter who was walking towards him with a nervous look on her face.

"Kagome…" said Jii-chan with a sad look on his face.

"Jii-chan..." said Kagome softly, "what did you mean when you said that you wouldn't be the proprietor of this shrine if you didn't know Sesshoumaru's name?"

Jii-chan stared down at the ground and asked, "Your boyfriend… his name is really Sesshoumaru is it?"

"Yes," Kagome answered, as her heat beat faster and faster.

"And," said Jii-chan, "he really is a taiyoukai, a powerful one?"

"Yes…" Kagome answered again with fear and dread drowing her senses with all of Jii-chan's questions.

"Does he have a younger half-brother?" Jii-chan asked.

"Yes," Kagome answered, "its Inuyasha." She saw jii-chan close his eyes slowly and asked, "Do you know a Buddhist monk over on the other side?"

"Yes," said Kagome, panic sounding in her voice, "but why are you asking me all this questions?"

"Honestly," said Jii-chan, sounding tired, "the two of you live at this shrine, and you don't know what is enshrined in this building here!" Asami gasped, while Kagome looked at Jii-chan in disbelief.

"Jii-chan…" said Kagome slowly.

"Kagome," said Jii-chan, finally looking up at her, "our Higurashi jinja enshrines the remains of a powerful youkai lord who was defeated by his younger half-brother in a battle that lasted seven days. His name was Sesshoumaru, and in seven days time, we will celebrate the anniversary of his death."

Kagome's eyes went wide with horror as she looked from her grandfather and up at her family shrine, "This shrine…" said Kagome, "this shrine… is… Se… is Ses… Sesshoumaru's…." As she continued to stare up at the shrine in horror, her eyes welled up with tears. "Sesshoumaru… is… d…" Kagome saw her whole world spin before her eyes, and then she was overcome by a sudden bout of dizziness.

"Sesshoumaru…" said Kagome, as she felt herself fall backwards and suddenly everything turned black as Kagome heard her mother and grandfather's voices call out to her and then… there was silence as darkness took her.

To be continued….

* * *

Hello everyone!

Welcome back to Advi's cliffhanger endings! Don't worry, don't worry, there's still one more chapter to go! Yup after that its Sayonara, as it will finally be the end of this story. But, oh my-my… what will happen to Kagome? And what is happening back in the Sengoku Jidai?

Find out in the next and final chapter of In The Rain!

Please review if you loved the chapter… but err… no flames please and thank you.

Oh, there's a bit of information about the next chapter on my profile. Check it out as I need an opinion from all of you, my dear readers.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, names or characters. All rights to Inuyasha are ownedby Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise studios, and VIZ.

Notice: This chapter is really long, so you might want to read this offline. Just a suggestion.

_**In The Rain**_

A Mother's Wish – _The End_ –

-------------------------------------------

It was now the next morning. Sesshoumaru gets up and walks away from the tree he was sitting under and, walks up to the lip of the bone eater's well. He looks down into its deepest reaches, and wonders if Kagome would still be in the same sad mood she had left in. Sesshoumaru knew that even if he had tried his best to be loving and considerate towards her; he knew that the wounds in Kagome's heart would take some time to heal. They were after all inflicted by one close to her.

He sat down on the lip of the well and looked up at the morning sky that was slowly getting brighter, as soft rays of gold streaked across a purple and pinkish sky. Sesshoumaru was just wondering when Kagome would return to this side of the well, when his highly sensitive sense of smell, picked up a very familiar scent. Sesshoumaru calmly brought his gaze to the trees in front of him and, softly said, "So, the hanyou proves that he has some speed." Sesshoumaru took a quick glance down the well and then stood up, and calmly, he took a step forward to say, "I am surprised at your speed hanyou, I presumed you were always slow."

Inuyasha came out of the trees, drenched in sweat and holding Tessaiga in his right hand and, growled, saying, "I've come to reclaim what is rightfully mine, you stray dog!"

Sesshoumaru merely arched an eyebrow in amusement and, said, "Interesting… and the thing you have come to reclaim… it would not be Kagome, by any chance?"

Inuyasha held his sword up, with both his hands, ready to strike his insolent half-brother down at any time and, retorted, "You got that right. Kikyo belongs to me, like hell I'm gonna let any other man take her away from me."

Sesshoumaru looked almost bored, as he answered, "Grief has certainly addled your brains, little brother. Your Kikyo has died… Kagome maybe the miko's reincarnation, but Kagome is Kagome, she is not your Kikyo."

Inuyasha held Tessaiga up, so that the tip of the massive sword, pointed towards the sky and said, "Kagome and Kikyo are the same! I will never let anyone else have her! Not you! Not even that wimpy wolf!" with that, Inuyasha jumped towards Sesshoumaru and held Tessaiga over his head. When he brought it down to where his brother stood, Sesshoumaru quickly parried Inuyasha's forceful blow with his own sword, Tokijin. For a brief moment, Inuyasha was held aloft in the air, as Tessaiga's mighty blade rested on Tokijin's oddly flat and straight blade, which was not usual in their land.

With just a gentle flick of his wrist, Sesshoumaru pushed Inuyasha away and watched the hanyou fly backwards in the air. Inuyasha landed about five feet from his brother, but he jumped back a further 3 three feet to put some distance between himself and the Taiyoukai. Inuyasha straightens up and pointed his sword at the well and yelled, "So, you're going to fight me for Kikyo are you?"

Sesshoumaru paid Inuyasha another bored look, but his liquid gold eyes betrayed his annoyance, as he answered his brother in a monotonous tone of voice, saying, "No, you pathetic worm, this Sesshoumaru has no desire to fight over a dead miko."

Inuyasha smirked and said, "So, you don't mind if I break that well do ya? That way, you won't get your filthy hands on my Kikyo."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and said, "That… I can't allow."

Inuyasha barred his fangs at his brother and, said, "You bd, so you are after my Kikyo!"

"Humph!" said Sesshoumaru coldly, "the only female, who I have any desire for is Kagome, and not your dead miko, Kikyo!"

Inuyasha held his sword in both hands, ready to attack his brother, and yelled, "I'm gonna break that well and kill you, then Kikyo will be mine again!"

- - - - - -

Kagome begin to stir out of unconsciousness and felt her back lying on something nice and soft, something that felt just like her bed. Her eyes opened, and Kagome found that she was in her room. She sat up in bed and saw that she was in her red Kimono, but that it was minus her pure black obi. Kagome looked to the side and saw her mother sitting on a stool by the side of her bed.

"What happened, mama?" Kagome asked her mother.

Asami gave her daughter a worried look and slowly, said, "Kagome, you fainted… don't you remember?"

Kagome raised her right hand up to her face, and said, "No… I don't… gosh, I feel like I have this tremendous headache."

Asami placed her hand gently on her daughter's right arm, and sat closer to her and said, "Kagome, you fainted when you heard that our shrine is actually Sesshoumaru's tomb."

Kagome's eyes widened, as she said, "Oh yes… I remember now," and as she said that, she felt her blood run cold. She held her hand down a bit, and stared into space. After a while, Kagome said, "I can't believe this… I've lived my whole life here and I have never known what was enshrined in our family shrine. How could I not know that… if I did, if I knew that, I would have never have fallen in love with Sesshoumaru."

"Kagome," said Asami softly, "even if you did know that our shrine was Sesshoumaru's grave, would you have not fallen in love with him, or not known him just because he would later be dead?"

Kagome looked at her mother in surprise, and as tears started well in her eyes, she said, "No… I would still love him… and I would find anyway possible while I was on the other side to stop his death."

Asami held Kagome's black pre-tied obi up and, said, "Come on, you should get dressed." After Asami had secured the obi onto her daughter's waist, Kagome left her room and walked to the shrine. When she stood at the part of the shrine, where people came to offer their respects to the kami enshrined; she gazed at the building with sorrowful eyes, and said, "Oh Sesshoumaru… you have always been by my side haven't you? I wish," she said, as silent tears poured from her eyes, "I could have been by your side for just as long. Why," said Kagome as she cried into her hands, "why Inuyasha… why did you have to kill him?"

- - - - - -

"KAZE NO KIZU!!" Inuyasha yelled as he brought Tessaiga down in a single and straight slash in front of him, unleashing his signature move on towards his brother.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and quickly twirled his sword, Tokijin, in the air before he quickly stabbed the sword into the ground, and knelt down before its blade and held its crimson hilt tightly, as Kaze no Kizu thundered towards him.

It was in a blink of an eye, that Sesshoumaru preformed the impossible. Tokijin's blade crackled blue just as the three claws of youki drew and inch or so from him. And in an instant, there was a blue flash, and the move, Kaze no Kizu was cut into two; both halves of the move, dissipating at Sesshoumaru's side like strong gusts of wind. However, the force of Kaze no Kizu, which dissipated at Sesshoumaru's left side, was so powerful that it destroyed the left flank of the bone eater's well.

Sesshoumaru heard the crunching of wood behind him and turned, and saw part of the well breaking into small pieces and splinters that sprayed high over the well.

Sesshoumaru's eyes went wide for a brief moment, before he recovered, and thought, '_I can't let the fool destroy the well!_'

Sesshoumaru stood up coolly, and without warning, he jumped towards Inuyasha, who could only hold Tessaiga up in defense, as his brother crossed the distance between them in a single leap and in an instant. When Sesshoumaru reached Inuyasha, he made a forceful blow towards Tessaiga, and sent its master backwards into the forest and away from the well.

'_I'll push the fool away,_' thought Sesshoumaru, as he leapt again towards Inuyasha, who had just landed about a couple of meters away. '_Far away from the well… if the well took another hit like that the precise time Kagome returns… she would be injured by the falling debris. I'll take the idiot somewhere far, and there, beat him till he can't move. I doubt talking sense into him works!_'

With each blow Sesshoumaru landed on Tessaiga, he pushed Inuyasha further into the forest and, farther away from the well. All Inuyasha could do was to hold his sword up, so his brother wouldn't slash him in half. Sesshoumaru stopped, when he found himself at a small little clearing in the woods, near a tall and old tree. '_This place will do,_' thought Sesshoumaru as fitted Tokijin into his dark blue obi and cracked his knuckles and stretched his fingers, readying himself to beat the living daylights out of his idiotic half-brother.

"Hey," said Inuyasha, lowering Tessaiga. "You wanna die Sesshoumaru? Pull out your sword."

"Don't need it," Sesshoumaru replied coolly, as he held his only hand up, his honey golden eyes set on Inuyasha with a gaze so intense that it would make anyone run in the other direction without a moment's haste.

"Keh!" said Inuyasha, annoyed, "don't get too cocky you stray dog, haven't you forgotten how many times you were defeated by me?"

"I remember well… however… this Sesshoumaru has not fallen to you since you became more stupid," said Sesshoumaru, with his lips in a very gentle curve that almost looked like a smirk.

"SESSHOUMARU!" Inuyasha bellowed, as he jumped towards his brother, with Tessaiga raised. When Inuyasha was above Sesshoumaru, he swung the mighty blade down, in an attempt to slash Sesshoumaru in half. But, when the blade of the sword came down; all Inuyasha felt he had cut was air, as Sesshoumaru's image disappeared in a blink of an eye.

"Where do you think your looking?" Inuyasha heard Sesshoumaru say from somewhere above him. He looked up in time to see Sesshoumaru's acidic green whip come down towards him, catching Inuyasha on his right cheek. Inuyasha moved at once, his arm coming up to shield him from any more attacks. He heard Sesshoumaru land gently on the ground and, brought his arm down to see Sesshoumaru looking mildly amused at him.

When Inuyasha had lowered his sleeve, Sesshoumaru saw a burnt mark on Inuyasha's face where his whip had caught him. "You are as slow as ever," said Sesshoumaru.

"Keh," said Inuyasha, his cheek stinging badly, "I've gotten a whole lot better, wise guy, watch your self… I'm gonna get serious now."

"Hmmm?" said Sesshoumaru in mock amusement, "So all that talk about killing me and taking Kagome was a lie?" This comment made Inuyasha even more furious. But high above the dueling brothers, Kirara flew, with Sango, Miroku, and Shippou, looking down at the inuyoukai brothers.

"Gyaaah!" Shippou exclaimed, "Inuyasha what are you doing? You're just falling into Sesshoumaru's trap!" The little kitsune held his little head with both his hands and squeaked, "I wish Kagome was here!"

"Speaking of Kagome-chan," said Sango, scanning what she could see of where the two brothers stood, "Where is she?"

"Maybe she's returned to her own world," said Miroku calmly.

"Right," said Sango, "Kirara, can you take us to the well?" Kirara gave a purr and flew off to the bone eaters well where she landed and transformed into her cute kitten form.

When Miroku, Sango, and Shippou, saw the state of the well, they were stunned. Miroku walked up to the well and bent down to where he noticed three familiar gashes into the ground before the well. "No doubt about this," said Miroku, as he placed his hand on the ground and felt one of the gashes, "this is Inuyasha's Kaze no Kizu." He then turned on the spot and saw where it abruptly ended, "But… here… it looks like it just… disappeared." Said Miroku.

"Hey Miroku!" said Shippou, standing in front of what remained of the well and, in front of the gashes on the ground, "Look there's a small little hole here in the ground." Miroku stood up and walked to where Shippou stood. He then knelt down, and saw the small hole that Shippou talked about. "This hole," said Miroku, as Sango with Kirara on her shoulder came up to him, "it looks like it was made by a sword." He pushed his hand down to the small hole but, quickly, he pulled it back and said, "And it's not by any sword… this youki… it belongs to Sesshoumaru."

"Sesshoumaru?" Sango and Shippou, asked at the same time.

"Yes…" said Miroku slowly, as he looked up at the well, then back at the small hole on the ground. He then stood to his feet and turned around and looked at the scars left on the ground from Kaze no Kizu. "I know what happened here," said Miroku softly.

"If I'm right," said Miroku continuing, "then Sesshoumaru's regard for Kagome-sama is indeed real."

"What?" said Shippou, shocked, "but there's no way… Sesshoumaru doesn't have a caring bone in his body!"

"But," said Sango slowly, "then how do you explain Tenseiga working for him. Remember… he revived that little otter's dad?"

"Oh, that's right," said Shippou.

Miroku then spoke, saying, "Inuyasha attacked Sesshoumaru as he was standing in front of the well… but… somehow… using Tokijin and his youki, Sesshoumaru defended not only himself but the well when he stopped Kaze no Kizu here."

"He defended the well?" Sango asked, "But why? Not unless…. he knows that Kagome-chan…"

"That could be the reason why Sesshoumaru defended the well," said Miroku. "Sesshoumaru could have very easily jumped out of the way… but… he chose instead to stop Kaze no Kizu. Ask yourselves… if you were Sesshoumaru… would you protect this well?"

"No," said Sango, "unless he knows that Kagome uses it to return to her world… and not unless… he… truly… cares… for her."

"Exactly," said Miroku looking straight at Sango.

"Wait, wait, wait… so you guys are saying," said Shippou, trying very hard to understand what was going on, "That Kagome and Sesshoumaru are really really in love???"

Miroku and Sango looked at each other and then turned to the Kitsune, with Miroku going first to say, "This might sound odd… very odd," he then turned to Sango, who said, "But Shippou, we are going to have to come to terms that Sesshoumaru really does have real feelings for Kagome… I can tell for a fact that Kagome loves Sesshoumaru, perhaps even more than she had ever loved Inuyasha."

Miroku then spoke up, saying, "There's only one way to confirm that. We have to go and witness the fight between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha."

Sango reached for Kirara on her shoulder and placed the little kitten on the ground and, said, "Kirara, watch the well and when Kagome-chan comes back, please help her out from it, part of the well is broken, so it'll be difficult for her to climb back up." Kirara gave a mew, saying she understand, and then, Sango, Miroku, and Shippou, ran into the forest and towards the fight taking place, but as they got nearer to the sounds, they spotted lady Kaede and a few village men running towards the similar direction.

"Oh!" said lady Kaede, "So you have returned. What is happening here? We can hear the sounds of a battle, all the way from the village."

"Oh hello lady Kaede," said Miroku pleasantly, as he ran pass the old miko, "it's only Inuyasha fighting his elder brother, Sesshoumaru, nothing new!" Sango then passed her by, and when Shippou reached her, she, the kitsune and the men went towards the sounds of the fighting.

"Why, pray tell are they fighting again?" Lady Kaede asked, as she moved as fast as her old body would allow.

"Oh," said Shippou answering, "Kagome's no longer in love with Inuyasha, she's in love with Sesshoumaru."

"Eh?" said lady Kaede, stunned by that bit of information, "Yeah, I know weird," said Shippou, "but it gets weirder, Sesshoumaru may really like Kagome and he's fighting for her… I think."

"And Inuyasha?" lady Kaede asked.

"Oh," Shippou replied, "He thinks Kikyo and Kagome are the same, so he's fighting for Kagome too… I think."

"My," said lady Kaede, "what a complicated mess."

When they reached the fight, Sango and Miroku saw a flash of something green and bright whipping through the air between both brothers. Sesshoumaru was standing calmly and looked quite unruffled, as his bright green, neon whip returned to him. Inuyasha, on the other hand, was marked with numerous flash wounds of where the whip had caught him on many occasions.

"Da-mn you… Sesshoumaru… I'm gonna get serious now!" said Inuyasha, with one eye open. The last time Sesshoumaru had brandished his whip at Inuyasha, he had caught him on his right eye.

Sesshoumaru let out a hiss of breath, and looked bored as he said, "Yes, yes…" he uttered monotonously.

"What's with that tone?" Inuyasha asked, as he used Tessaiga as his support to keep himself standing. "You don't believe me do ya?" Inuyasha asked irately.

"Nope," Sesshoumaru answered coolly.

"You think you're smart don't ya?" Inuyasha asked, with annoyance deep in his voice.

"Yes," Sesshoumaru answered coolly again, as he looked at the spectators who had come to witness this, as Sesshoumaru thought, silly fight.

"WHY YOU!!!!" Inuyasha shouted, as he held Tessaiga high up and then brought it forcefully down onto the ground, sending a hail of sand, stones, and pebbles at Sesshoumaru, whose eyebrows rose, making him look like he was mildly impressed. Then from behind the debris he had sent towards his brother, Inuyasha emerged, with Tessaiga drawn in front of him, like a spear towards its intended target, Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru side stepped Tessaiga's blade and his movements was so quick, that no one saw him, when he kicked Inuyasha in the stomach and, sent him flying into a small nearby tree, breaking it in half. Sesshoumaru calmly tucked a stray lock of platinum hair behind his ear and walked up to the audience that watched the fight. His audience seemed to panic at his approach, but without a single trace of emotion on his face, Sesshoumaru walked up to lady Kaede, and asked, "Are you the sibling of the dead miko, Kikyo?"

"Err… yes," lady Kaede answered.

Sesshoumaru's eyes then traveled to Miroku and Sango and asked, "Have you told her?"

Sango didn't know how to respond, but Miroku answered, saying, "No, net yet… we have just returned here ourselves."

"I see," said Sesshoumaru gallantly, he then turned back to Kaede, and said, "My condolences to you." Sesshoumaru then turned around, and walked back to the battlefield.

Lady Kaede turned to Sango and Miroku with a confused look on her face, but saw them looking away from her.

"Kaede-sama," said Miroku somberly, "I'm not the one to tell you this… but… Kikyo… is truly dead. She died after she had purified Naraku once and for all. But she did die with a smile on her face… she was finally happy."

"I see…" said lady Kaede softly, "and now, I understand what is happening here. Oh Inuyasha… you can't see can you?" said lady Kaede as she watched Inuyasha getting to his feet. "That Kikyo and Kagome are not the same people though their souls may be same. My sister Kikyo, was her own special self… and Kagome is a very different person from my sister Kikyo. Kagome is a very special child, it's no wonder you lost her."

Everyone who heard her, stared at lady Kaede with wonder. But all of a sudden she turned around and, to her village men, she said, "Come, there is no need to witness this fight… its victor has already been selected." The old miko then walked off, leaving everyone staring at her in surprise. The village men then followed her, if there was no need to watch the battle, then they might as well return to the fields.

That left only Miroku, Sango, and Shippou to watch the battle.

Inuyasha got back up on to his feet and dropped Tessaiga on the ground. "Keh, I don't need this sword, it's in the way," then wiping blood away from his mouth, Inuyasha smirked and said, "Get ready Sesshoumaru, I'm gonna fight the way I know best."

"Interesting… bug… show me," said Sesshoumaru, his eyes glimmering dangerously at his younger half-brother.

Inuyasha ran towards his brother and then jumped up, as he raised his fist. Sesshoumaru sighed and said, "Same as usual."

"Like hell it is!" Inuyasha yelled, as suddenly, he twisted his body in the air and raised his right knee up, to kick Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru caught Inuyasha's right leg before it could hit him in the face, but Inuyasha surprised Sesshoumaru, when he kicked the back of his head using his left foot.

"AH!" Exclaimed the last three people watching the fight. "Look at that," said Shippou, "Inuyasha actually managed to hit Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru jumped away and turned in midair, and cursed under his breath for underestimating Inuyasha. '_I should remember not to do that,_' thought Sesshoumaru as he glared at Inuyasha who smirked at him, '_the last time I did that… I lost an arm._'

- - - - -

It was now evening, and at the home of the Higurashi's, the family just sat down to a hot meal of claypot beef, with leeks, carrots and onions, cooked in a mild soy sauce. Asami had just handed Kagome a bowl of rice and started to dish out some more for her self. Kagome watched as Souta and Jii-chan started to pile small bite sized pieces of asparagus onto their rice. Actually, though Kagome did not have much of an appetite, the aroma rising from the asparagus that her mother had cooked in oyster sauce and garlic, made her stomach growl, indicating she should feed it. A small smile formed on Kagome's lips as she reached for the vegetable and started to place a couple of pieces on her rice.

Where Jii-chan and Souta ate and chatted animatedly about the latest happenings in J-league soccer and the English Premiership, Kagome ate in silence and munched on her food slowly. Though the aroma of the food, tickled her nostrils… the food that Kagome consumed, had no flavor in it. Her mother had just rebuked Jii-chan and Souta for being to loud at the dinner table, when Kagome place her half full bowl of rice down and, excused herself for the table. Jii-chan, Souta and Asami, watched silently as Kagome left the room and went outside.

"Ne," said Souta, "I thought we were cheering her up."

"Yeah," said Jii-chan, "I thought so too."

Asami continued eating and said, "Now, now, the both of you did your best."

Kagome wandered in the darkness that engulfed the city of Tokyo, but it wasn't as dark as it was back in the Sengoku jidai when night had fallen. Here, night was rather bright, as many colorful neon billboards of the city, illuminated the night sky. When Kagome stopped walking, she found herself standing in front of the small shrine that held the bone eater's well. She looked longingly at its doors and for a while, just stared at it.

"Ses…shou…ma-ru," she uttered his name softly.

Slowly, Kagome climbed the three short steps to the door and placed her hand on the door, but stopped short of sliding it open. "I want to go," said Kagome.

"I want to go… I want to go back there… but," said Kagome, looking down at her hand, "but I'm afraid of what I might find there." Just then she pictured Sesshoumaru lying in a puddle of his own blood.

"No!" said Kagome to herself, "don't think that!" and with that, she slid the door open, and looked down at the silhouette of the well illuminated by what little light that came through the doorway. Kagome walked into the well house and down the steps to the well. She placed her hands on the lip of the well and looked down into pitch-black darkness.

"Please…" said Kagome, into the darkness of the well, "let me through." She then threw one of her legs over the lip of the well and sat down on it with both her legs hanging on the inside of the well. She pushed her self into the well and fell into pure black darkness. Kagome fell fast and closed her eyes in disappointment; the blue light had failed to appear. When she landed at the bottom of the well, Kagome opened her eyes and looked up, but everything was so dark that she couldn't see a single thing. Kagome felt her way down in the pitch-black darkness of the well and then began to climb up its black walls. Once she was near to the top, Kagome could begin to see again. When she pulled her self up, Kagome looked down into the well, and said, "Please let me through… please… I have to go back… please!"

But all Kagome heard was her own voice echoing back to her.

"Please…" Kagome begged, her voice starting to break. Before she could start to cry again, Kagome gripped the well and threw herself into it, but once again, she fell into pitch black darkness. The blue glow that allowed her to transcend time, did not appear. When she fell to the bottom of the well, Kagome pushed herself to one of its walls, and as tears began to roll down her cheeks, she asked the well in a tearful voice, which was deep with sorrow, "Why?"

"Why? Why won't you let me through… please, I beg you… please let me through. I have to go to him… I have to go to Sesshoumaru… please, please I have to go… he's going to die, please let me through… please… ple-ase!" Kagome sank to her knees as she lost the will to speak and cried her eyes out at the bottom of the well.

However, in the Sengoku Jidai; Shippou was currently asleep in Sango's arms as she cradled him. She and Miroku were still watching the fight between the two brothers. Sango turned in the direction of the well, and said, "Kagome-chan… hasn't come back."

Without turning his eyes away from the fight, Miroku answered, "Most probably because the well is damaged. This happened once before when Inuyasha stuck a tree down the well… however somehow… Kagome-sama came back… but it took her sometime to do that." Sango turned her worried eyes back on the brothers and watched them fight on into the night.

Sesshoumaru had just jumped into the air, and using his tail, he coiled it around Inuyasha, and brought him up into the air. "Damn you, Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha growled, "don't use your filthy tail to touch me."

"Do not think that I enjoy having you anywhere near my tail!" said Sesshoumaru, as he threw Inuyasha towards a tree, where he fell violently to, breaking at lest two smaller trees as he fell onto them. Sesshoumaru landed gingerly onto the forest floor and turned in the direction of the well, wondering why Kagome had not returned yet. "Ka-go-me," said Sesshoumaru, as he uttered her name softly under his breath.

"I'M GONNA GET YOU FOR THAT!!!" Came Inuyasha's voice, turning Sesshoumaru's attention back to him.

Sesshoumaru turned around to see Inuyasha's leg coming towards him. But quickly, Sesshoumaru ducked down, avoiding Inuyasha, and just using his right arm to balance himself, Sesshoumaru flipped his long legs into the air and caught Inuyasha in midair, but Inuyasha expecting that from Sesshoumaru, turned himself in Sesshoumaru's legs and brought the taiyoukai into the air and threw him a good couple of feet. However, while Inuyasha landed roughly on the ground, making quite a sound as he did; Sesshoumaru landed gingerly like a cat on his feet, facing his brother.

"That was rather impressive," said Sesshoumaru, as he stood calmly up and straightened his clothes out. Inuyasha, however, sat on the ground panting and said, "Keh… I just came up with that move; don't think I'm an idiot, Sesshoumaru!"

"But," said Sesshoumaru, his voice changing to frigid from monotonous, "Never ever do that in my legs again!"

"Wha?" said Inuyasha, "don't you have women who do that?"

One of Sesshoumaru's eyebrows twitched, he then bent down and picked up something from the ground and flicked it at Inuyasha. A small stone hit Inuyasha squarely on his forehead, tipping him back to the ground. Miroku and Sango stared wide-eyed at the Taiyoukai, Inuyasha's comments must have really touched a nerve for him to do that.

"WHAT YOU DO THAT FOR!!" Inuyasha yelled, as he rubbed his forehead and jumped to his feet.

"You have a mind that goes equally with that dirty mouth of yours," said Sesshoumaru, back to his usual monotonous tone of voice.

"Huh?" said Inuyasha, who did not quite understand what Sesshoumaru had just said, however, behind him, Miroku and Sango gave huge sighs.

Inuyasha, who was breathing hard, looked at his elder half-brother who hardly looked exhausted. "Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha called out, "for now, this is the end of our battle." Sesshoumaru's eyebrows rose up in question. "But don't make any mistakes, I ain't giving up. I'll be back tomorrow to kill you and destroy the well," said Inuyasha, as he turned and started to walk towards his sword, Tessaiga, which was lying abandoned on the ground.

"So," said Miorku softly, "I was right."

However, Sesshoumaru moved so quick that no one saw him leap to Inuyasha and hit him at the back of his neck. Inuyasha's eyes rolled back and he fell to the ground, with Sesshoumaru standing behind him. Thinking that Sesshoumaru was going to take this opportunity to kill Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango ran into the battlefield, but to their surprise, Sesshoumaru turned around and said, "No one turns his back on this Sesshoumaru in a fight." Sesshoumaru, then rather coolly walked past them and went in the direction of the well, leaving Sango and Miroku staring at him in surprise.

When Sesshoumaru returned to the well, he saw Kirara in her kitten form, sitting on what remained of the well. When Kirara saw him, she hissed at him as her hackles rose up, however, that hardly sent any warning bells to Sesshoumaru, who walked calmly up to the youkai cat, and said, "Your mistress will be needing your services in taking my half-brother back to the human village."

Surprised, Kirara mewed gently at him.

Sesshoumaru looked at Kirara and said, "Go, I shall keep watch until you return." Kirara, sensing that what Sesshoumaru was saying was the truth, mewed at him again before she jumped away and ran into Sango's direction.

Sesshoumaru stared down into the pitch darkness of the well, and asked, "My love… why have you not returned?"

- - - - -

The next morning, right after breakfast, Kagome ran out of the home and towards the well house. When she got inside, Kagome was wearing the Shikon no tama in full, around her neck, and she was dressed comfortably in a pink t-shirt with Hello Kitty on it and a matching pair of pink shorts. "Yesterday, I wasn't thinking straight," said Kagome to herself, as she looked down the well. "I didn't come in here with the jewel. Now that I have it with me, the well will work… I hope."

Kagome sat on the lip of the well and threw her legs over onto the other side, and pushed herself in the well, but she fell too fast and the blue light did not materialize. She landed at the bottom of the well and looked up, saying, "I can't belief this… even with the Shikon no tama… the well won't work." Kagome climbed up and sat on the lip of the well, and stared at the jewel. "What's going on here?" Kagome asked herself.

"The well won't work even if I'm wearing the Shikon no tama…" Kagome looked back down into the well and tried to use it again, however, the results were the same and she climbed back up again. Kagome took the necklace off that held the jewel it in front of her and said, "What's going on here?"

Meanwhile, back in the Sengoku Jidai…

Sesshoumaru was sitting under the same tree he had sat under the night before, waiting for Kagome to return… but… she did not, and he debated why she did not for the entire night. Sesshoumaru was still sitting calmly under the tree, when he smelt the monk that followed Inuyasha approaching.

When Miroku came into the clearing where the well was, he was surprised to see Sesshoumaru sitting peacefully under a tree. He and the Taiyoukai stared at each other for a moment, before Miroku asked, "Kagome-sama hasn't returned has she?"

"No, she has not," Sesshoumaru answered calmly, as he got to his feet.

"I thought so," said Miroku calmly.

That caught Sesshoumaru's attention as he asked, "Monk, do you know why Kagome has not returned?"

"Umm…" said Miroku, "I'm a priest."

"My apologies," said Sesshoumaru respectfully as he came up to Miroku, who said, "I think the reason why Kagome-sama has not returned is that the well is damaged. The last time the well was damaged, the same thing happened. Kagome-sama could not return from her homeland."

"Then," said Sesshoumaru calmly in a velvety tone of voice, as he turned his gaze to the well, and said, "we must repair it, so she can return."

"True," said Miroku, "knowing Kagome-sama, she must be pretty worried on the other side by now."

However, all of a sudden, Sesshoumaru grabbed Miroku around his waist and jumped out of the way, as Kaze no Kizu, came rolling out of the forest. There was a loud sound of wood crunching and, that made both Sesshoumaru and Miroku turn in the air, and to their horror, they saw Kaze no Kizu decimating what remained of the little wooden well.

Miroku gasped loudly by Sesshoumaru's side, as he couldn't belief what he had just witnessed. When Sesshoumaru landed on the ground, he placed Miroku on his feet and the both of them watched, as Inuyasha appeared from the trees looking victorious and smug.

"Hehehe… see… I told you, I could destroy the well. Now it's time for you to die SESSHOUMARU!" Said Inuyasha loudly, as he held his sword at the ready for any attack his brother may throw at him.

"OII!!" Miroku shouted at Inuyasha, "DO I LOOK LIKE SESSHOUMARU??? YOU ALMOST KILLED ME THERE!!"

"Miroku," said Inuyasha, addressing the Buddhist Priest, "get out of the way if you don't want to die."

Miroku looked begrudgingly at Inuyasha and, muttered, "It's a little too late to be saying that, you are so lucky I don't have the Kazaana anymore."

"Priest," said Sesshoumaru, snapping Miroku's attention to him, "I will push Inuyasha back into the forest… and when I have done that… rebuild the well. Kagome is the only person who is able to stop that fool."

"I will," said Miroku, sounding serious. Then as Sesshoumaru walked towards his younger half-brother, Miroku took quickly into the forest. He had to act fast; he needed to get supplies from the village to rebuild the well, and hopefully, thought Miroku, there would be a couple of villagers who would be brave enough to help him.

"Heh… that's it," said Inuyasha smugly to Sesshoumaru, "come and meet your doom."

"Hanyou," said Sesshoumaru warningly, "know your place you insignificant pest… just because you have a powerful sword, that does not make you a kami, remember who you are and where your place is in the circle of life."

"Keh!" said Inuyasha, pure annoyed, "Talk, talk, talk, talk… know my place, blah, blah, blah! To hell with knowing my place! I make my own place in this world! And no one, no one is gonna tell me where I belong! I belong where I make a place for myself and that's killing your sorry hide and becoming Taiyoukai!"

Sesshoumaru's features grew cold, as his eyes flickered with anger, "A pompous show off like you has no right to become Taiyoukai… you do not deserve the title, nor the power," said Sesshoumaru as he pulled Tokijin from his side. "Since you do not know where your place is… let your big brother show you where that is!"

When Sesshoumaru ended his speech, he leapt to Inuyasha, and brought his sword down to Inuyasha's in one swift and forceful blow that sounded so loudly, that those in the village heard it clearly. Sparks shot off the great youkai blades as they crossed, and Inuyasha found that Sesshoumaru's initial blow was so strong that it forced his feet into the earth.

Sesshoumaru jumped away and then came back quickly, as he held Tokijin above his left shoulder and brought it down in a powerful sweep that sent Inuyasha crashing into the trees. "Damn you!" Said Inuyasha as he knelt down and said, "Kongousouha!" but Inuyasha did not have time to complete the move and sent only a small number of somewhat smaller versions of the diamond spears towards Sesshoumaru, who easily deflected them.

That gave Inuyasha only time to get to his feet before Sesshoumaru came barring down on him with Tokijin's point flying towards him at a great speed, which no human eyes could detect. All Inuyasha could do was to hold Tessaiga in a defensive position to deflect his brother's sword stroke. The two swords met again, and sparks flew off the blades once more. Gritting his teeth tightly, Inuyasha used all the strength his could muster and, pushed Sesshoumaru away.

Sesshoumaru flew backwards and saw Inuyasha holding his sword up above his head in usual fashion and shouting, "Kaze no Kizu!"

Sesshoumaru landed gingerly on the ground as always, and as Kaze no Kizu roared towards him, his sword Tokijin, began to crackle with his blue youki, looking like thin strings of lightning, dancing on the swords blade. When Kaze no Kizu came near enough, Sesshoumaru made a wide sweeping movement with his sword, releasing his blue youki to engulf all of Kaze no Kizu into a blue ball that was pulled towards Sesshoumaru's sword.

"What the!" said Inuyasha, stunned.

Sesshoumaru then swung his sword around and sent Kaze no Kizu, now engulfed in his own youki, back towards Inuyasha.

"He's returning Kaze no Kizu back to me!" said Inuyasha, but he smirked and said, 'Keh, Sesshoumaru… that's your undoing!" Inuyasha jumped towards the apex of the move and swung his sword across, shouting, "BAKURYUUHA!"

- - - - - -

Miroku ran as fast as his feet could take him, and that was pretty fast, towards the village. Sango and Shippou met him out side the village, and so did some of the village men.

"Are Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha fighting again?" Sango asked.

"Yes…" said Miroku, coming to a stop in front of her, "but, more importantly, Inuyasha has managed to destroy the well." Immediately, all who heard him, gasped.

"No way," said Shippou, coming up to Miroku, "that means… Kagome can't come back!"

"No," said Miroku, "she can… if we rebuild the well!"

Sango and Shippou looked determined, but, the village men shirked away from the three of them and glanced away. Miroku stepped to them and said, "Friends, can I ask you for your assistance?" But the village men, looked down at their feet and did not answer. Miroku's features fell as he knew what their answers were, it was in their silence.

"I see…" said Miroku disappointedly. It was then that one of the village men, said, "We are too afraid to go into the Inuyasha forest. We might get killed if we do so… but… we can give you what you need."

Kirara turned into her huge Saber-tooth cat form and the village men tied planks of wood onto her side. Once that was done, Kirara took to the sky with Sango, Miroku, and Shippou on her back.

"Houshi-sama," said Sango, as Kirara flew towards the Inuyasha forest, "once we get all this wood off Kirara, I'll go back to get the saw, hammer and nails."

"Thanks Sango, I owe you one, my dear," said Miroku lovingly replied to his fiancée.

When they were over the clearing where the well was, they heard Inuyasha shout, '_Kaze no Kizu_,' and then saw how Sesshoumaru used his own youki to engulf Inuyasha's move and then threw it back to it's point of origin.

"OH NO!" Said Miroku, loudly.

"Kirara!' Said Sango to the youkai cat that knew what to do. Kirara went higher as she flew backwards, knowing what danger was about to come forth.

"BAKURYUUHA!!" Inuyasha shouted, as he used what long ago used to be his trump card.

Swirls of youki, extended high into the sky and then tipped downwards as it headed towards Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru held his sword at the ready, as a bright orb of light appeared at his sword. As the swirls came nearer, he swung his sword across, releasing that bright orb of energy, which flew to the spirals of youki, deflecting them and sending the spirals in all directions. But one small and weak spiral of youki, came straight towards Sesshoumaru, and hit the sleeve of his spiky shoulder armor, breaking it. Most of the swirls of youki flew up into the air where it vanished, two swirls, returned to Inuyasha, who had to hide behind Tessaiga's massive blade. Some of the other swirls of youki, tore the ground and some of the trees nearby, as the ferocious energy of Bakuryuuha unfolded, near Sesshoumaru, ripping the ground apart as it unleashed its energy onto the innocent forest.

Once the destruction was over, and the dust and debris had started to settle, Sesshoumaru, walked calmly towards Inuyasha, saying, "Our father's ultimate move… Bakuryuuha… how weak it is in your hands."

"Ah, shut up!" said Inuyasha, emerging from behind his sword.

"Father's Bakuryuuha," said Sesshoumaru, continuing, "would have never been deflected by such an insignificant ball of youki. It would have shot through, and killed me where I stood and destroyed this whole forest. That was the scale of father's Bakuryuuha. Yours is nothing more than a gentle breeze."

"Oh, shut up, Sesshoumaru," said Inuyasha, as he pulled Tessaiga out of the ground, "Who cares if the old man's moves were stronger, I surpassed him and made this sword even stronger, and I killed Ryuukotsusei when he couldn't. So don't compare me with him!"

Anger crossed Sesshoumaru's features as he came towards Inuyasha and, said, "Don't get too full of yourself, hanyou!" When he was near, Sesshoumaru thrust his sword, Tokijin, directly at the broadside of Tessaiga's blade, pushing Inuyasha into the forest once more, then, Sesshoumaru held a blue and glowing Tokijin, aloft, and said, "You have not surpassed father, you insignificant worm! All you have done is to kill the enemy that father could not! You have not surpassed father in skills, in power, in tact, or in life. You are no where near father even at the prime of his life; and, you are no where near me!" At the end of his sentence, Sesshoumaru released another ball of youki at Inuyasha, but the ball exploded before it could hit him. However, the blast from the explosion was so great, that it propelled Inuyasha deeper into the woods.

- - - - - -

Kagome had walked out of the well house and was currently standing in front of the shrine, staring at the Shikon no tama in her hand. The jewel, glimmered soft in her palm, and as she looked at it, she thought, '_I don't understand why the well doesn't work. But I know right now, as I'm standing here, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are fighting. In… five days time… Sesshoumaru… will die when… Inuyasha kills him at the end of the battle… I want to go back before that happens. I want to go back before Inuyasha can kill Sesshoumaru… I want to save him… I want to save Sesshoumaru._' Kagome then gazed sadly at the shrine and said, "I know… I'll be changing history… and there might not be a Higurashi shrine anymore… but… I want to save him." Kagome then closed her eyes and closed her palm around the jewel and held it close to her heart. As she held her hands together, Kagome thought, '_I haven't made my wish on the jewel yet… but now is the best time to do it in._'

"Shikon no Tama…" said Kagome softly, "Please, grant me my wish. Please allow the Bone Eater's Well to send me back to the Sengoku Jidai to save the man I love the most. Please, Shikon no Tama, help me save Sesshoumaru!"

Kagome waited for a while, but nothing happened, she sensed nothing, no power coming from the Shikon no Tama. Kagome opened her eyes and held her hand down to gaze at the jewel. She looked at it and the jewel still looked the same with its like pinkish cloudy core deep inside. "Even you won't work for me?" Kagome asked the jewel, as she sunk to her knees.

Kagome continued to look at the jewel and slowly her vision became blurry, as tears started to well in her eyes, "Why…" she asked, "Why won't you grant me my wish?"

Kagome dropped the jewel and held her head that ached badly as she tried to keep herself from crying. But far away, watching her sadly, were her mother and grandfather, who knew they could do nothing to help her.

"I'm not going to cry…" said Kagome, who found it hard to speak, "I can't…" but she began to sob, as she said, "All I want is to save the man I love… so why won't you grant me my wish!"

"Not fair!" said Kagome, as her tears started to drop to the ground one by one, "you made Naraku so powerful; but, why won't you help me save one person! You helped Naraku destroy so many lives! Why won't you help me save the life of the person I love!" She fell into silence as she allowed her tears to pour forth. After a while, Kagome rubbed the tears away from her eyes and looked up at the shrine and, said, "Sesshoumaru… I want to be by your side."

Asami turned away, unable to look on at her daughter's grief anymore and walked away with her head down. Jii-chan watched her go and knew the pain that Kagome was going through right now, was bringing back a lot memories for Asami. Jii-chan, turned around and saw Kagome getting to her feet, he knew then that she had stopped crying and, walked away, not wanting Kagome to see him.

When Kagome stopped her tears, she picked up the Shikon no Tama and stood up, it would look bad for her Jii-chan if any of the parishioners saw her crying. Rubbing her eyes even more, Kagome stared at the shrine and knew... if she could not go back and save Sesshoumaru, she didn't think she could continue living at the Higurashi shrine, knowing it was the place where he rested.

Kagome started to walk back to the house and when she came across the Go-Shimboku, she stopped under it's shade and looked at the mark on it's bark, the mark of where Inuyasha used to sleep, before she had awaken him.

"Inuyasha, why did you have to kill Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked the tree, speaking to it like she was speaking directly to Inuyasha. "Can't you understand… I'm not Kikyo… I'm my self and I love Sesshoumaru because he sees me as me and no one else."

"This is ridiculous," said Kagome to herself, "I have to say these words to Inuyasha, if I can go back there… but if I do… I'm going to give him a talking too that will make his ears hurt." She then continued to the house.

That night at dinner, Kagome hardly had any appetite to eat, but she forced the food down her mouth to please her mother. Jii-chan and Souta stayed silent this time, and pretended to ignore her, but Kagome caught them when they stared cautiously at her. Her mother; however, just ate happily with a big smile on her face. That made Kagome feel even worst.

Kagome forced food down until she felt that she was going to be sick, at which she placed her three quarter full bowl down and excused herself from the table and went straight to her bedroom. Without even turning on the light, Kagome entered her room and closed the door behind her and went to the window, and pulled her bedroom curtains to the side and allowed the city lights to illuminate her dark room.

"This feels so… unnatural… being here with my own family… it feels odd," said Kagome softly to herself as she stared out of her window.

She then leaned against the window, and placing her hand against the reflection of her own hand on the glass, Kagome looked forlornly at it and said, "Everything here… feels empty."

"Somehow…" said Kagome as she stared into space, her eyes seeing nothing but Sesshoumaru, "I feel like I don't belong here… in my own home."

"Why?" Kagome asked, her eyes staring at an image of Sesshoumaru playing in her mind, as she stared at empty nothingness in her bedroom. Kagome turned against the window and leaned her head against it, closed her eyes, and said, "Why does the other side now feel like home?"

Kagome slid down to the floor, and lying down on the floor by the side of her bed, she stared at the thin line of light at the bottom of her door. Kagome felt so lifeless at that moment, she even wondered if she was alive, as she couldn't seem to feel anything at the moment. The overwhelming feeling of bliss that she usually felt when she was at home was not present. The feeling of warmth that she got when she was around her family was also missing. All there was in her heart was emptiness, a deep void, a void that felt bottomless. She felt like a part of her heart was missing and right now, Kagome felt half alive.

Kagome then saw a shadow come to her door and stood outside it. Staring at it with eyes that hardly held any life, Kagome softly whispered, "_Don't come in._" The shadow moved, like it had heard her, and walked away, leaving Kagome staring at the light at the bottom of her door, on the floor of her bedroom.

- - - - - -

Miroku was snapped out of sleep, when the earsplitting sound of metal clashing against metal, clanged through the forest. Miroku sat straight up and forced his eyes to open, his vision still blurry, as he stared through the gloom of the Inuyasha forest in the early morning.

"Damn you! Sesshoumaru!" came Inuyasha's voice, as Miroku laid back down onto the soft lush grass he made his bed the night before. Miroku closed his eyes and relaxed, saying, "I got to complete the well today… though Sesshoumaru-sama is youkai… he's been fighting for three days now, even Inuyasha has got to be tired by now."

Another clash of swords clanged through the air as loud as thunder, and that woke Miroku up fully now. "This is not a time to get one's sleep," said Miroku, as he sat up again, and saw that Shippou was fully awake by his side. "Shippou," said Miroku, "did you sleep last night?"

Shippou brought his sad eyes up to the Buddhist Priest, and said, "Yes… but the fighting kept waking me up." Miroku looked surprised at Shippou, and said, "You mean… they fought through the night?"

"Yes," Shippou answered.

Miroku took a deep breath and got to his feet and, said, "If Sesshoumaru has been fighting Inuyasha to keep him from the well while we slept, then we should repay him by finishing this well today. Believe it or not Shippou, but right now, Sesshoumaru is actually protecting us from Inuyasha."

"Yeah, I know… its odd, like the whole world has just turned upside down," said Shippou. As Miroku started for the well, he said, "I wonder how Kagome-sama is right now."

Sango could not sleep peacefully that night either, as the blows exchanged by either brother echoed loudly down into the village, keeping most people awake when they should be comfortably asleep. So she got up before the crack of dawn, put on her Kosode Kimono and her skirt, and carried a sleeping Kirara in her arms before she headed towards the Inuyasha forest with Hiraikotsu strapped to her back. The first place she went to, was towards the Bone eaters well, when she arrived, Sango saw that it was half built, and that it's builders, Miroku and Shippou, were sleeping under a shady tree on a particularly thick patch of grass. Sango smiled at them before she walked away, and followed the sounds of fighting, to find the two Inuyoukai brothers.

Sango saw that Inuyasha was covered in scratches, cuts and bruises all over, while Sesshoumaru was now missing one sleeve. Inuyasha, who was also covered in sweat, leapt towards Sesshoumaru; and Sesshoumaru to him and when their swords met, it produced an earsplitting clash that pierced Sango's ears. She unwittingly dropped Kirara to cover her ears. Kirara fell gingerly on her small little paws, which she held over her ears, trying hard to protect her rather sensitive ears.

Both brothers jumped away from each other and landed about 7 feet from each other. But Sesshoumaru did not waste anytime in attacking his brother; he stabbed Tokijin into the ground and flicked his whip towards Inuyasha, who held his hands over himself, protecting him body, but not his arms that took on the brunt of Sesshoumaru's merciless acidic whip. Sesshoumaru knowing there was no use of attacking Inuyasha's upper body which was protected by the Fire-Rat coat, raised his arm and then, brought it down with a swish, flicking his glowing green whip into the air and then bringing it down in a flash, to strike Inuyasha's right thigh, singeing the red fabric, cutting and burning Inuyasha's skin right off.

Inuyasha dropped Tetsusaiga and shouted, "Damn you! Sesshoumaru!" as he fell, clutching his right knee and hissing in pain.

Sesshoumaru, seeing that his brother was in much pain and unable to move, retracted his whip and, pulled Tokijin out of the ground and said, "Have you had enough… hanyou?"

Sango stared at Sesshoumaru, and she could see that he looked like he was rather fed up of having to fight Inuyasha this long and not try to kill him at all. All Sesshoumaru was doing was injuring Inuyasha, so he could not move. All of the blows that Sango had seen Sesshoumaru give his brother were short of being fatal. Sango knew that Sesshoumaru's whip was potent enough to have sliced off Inuyasha's leg in one stroke. Sango looked at Inuyasha, and for once, she was actually praying that he would be injured badly enough to not fight anymore. But just then, she heard someone huffing and puffing by her side. Sango looked down and saw Jaken, gasping for breath by her side, and trying to say, "Se… Se… Sesshou-ma-ru-sama… I've… f-found… -wheeze-… found… y-you at last!"

However, Inuyasha, though his leg was hurting badly, jumped towards his brother and again, swords clashed.

"AH!" Jaken exclaimed, "S-S-Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Enough?" Inuyasha asked Sesshoumaru, as both swords grinded against each other, "I'm just getting warmed up! Keh, don't tell me you're tired, Sesshoumaru?" The only answer that Inuyasha received from his brother was an anger filled glare, then a kick to the stomach that sent Inuyasha flying backwards.

- - - - - -

Asami was getting steadily worried about her daughter. Kagome hadn't been eating properly since she found out she could not return to the Sengoku Jidai, and that their family shrine was actually the grave of the man she had fallen in love with… and as fate would dictate, he was killed by Kagome's best friend and former love interest.

Why was fate so cruel sometimes, Asami asked her self as she wiped the last cup in the basin and put in on the rack. Asami walked to the living room and found Kagome sitting silently there. The TV was on, but Kagome was staring off elsewhere into space. Asami's eyes gazed at her daughter with sadness and pity, knowing she was going through what Asami did years ago. Asami took a deep breath, and then placed a smile on her face and said, "Kagome, it's such a lovely day outside, why don't you go out?"

Kagome was snapped out of her reverie; she turned and gazed at her mother. "Go out?" she asked.

"Yes," said Asami, still beaming at her daughter. "It's been a long time since you were here, and the city has changed much since you were last here." Kagome blinked at her mother and knew she was just trying to cheer her up. Kagome, then stood up and said, "Yes, I think it would be a good idea."

"Come on," said Asami, holding her hand out to her daughter, "let's pick out something for you to wear." said Asami warmly.

Asami picked out a cute blue sundress for Kagome to wear and gave her a hat to wear that had a matching blue bow on it. When Kagome stepped out of the house, she tried her best to smile and, said, "I'm off… Mama!"

Asami, seeing how hard it was for Kagome to smile for her, returned her daughter's smile and said, "Have a good time!" Still smiling, Kagome turned around and began walking to entrance of the shrine. Once Kagome started on her descent down the tall steps of the Higurashi Shrine, she said, "Have a good time… huh? I don't know if I can."

When Kagome came down the steps, it didn't take her too long to walk into the metropolitan part of the city and found that her mother was right, she did notice a few changes. A vacant shop lot was now turned into a bakery that had the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread wafting out of its premises. Kagome walked further on and felt alienated in her own hometown, her own city. Somehow, walking among the crowds of people that traversed the city felt absolutely strange and almost claustrophobic. Kagome wondered if she stayed too long in the Sengoku Jidai.

Kagome walked into her favorite mall and thought, '_I haven't visited this place in ages… I wonder what's new._'

Kagome walked around, but stopped in front of a shop, which displayed a mannequin that was wearing a crème jacket that had faux white fur on its collar and at the cuff of its sleeves. The mannequin also had a furry white boa draped over its arms, and that reminded Kagome of Sesshoumaru's fluffy white tail. "Sesshoumaru…" Kagome muttered, but she quickly shook her head and walked away from the shop, but when she passed a shop selling Kimono's she stopped and stared at one particular Kimono, displayed in the store's window. It's was mostly white, except for the right shoulder and the sleeves, and at the lower half of the kimono, where it was in a shade of brilliant crimson and, it had small patches of sakura flowers on the red parts. That was enough to remind Kagome of the kimono that Sesshoumaru wore.

"Oh…" said Kagome staring at the kimono sadly.

But suddenly, Kagome's eyes open wide when she heard someone who sounded like Sesshoumaru, say, "Now, doesn't that look like my old Kimono?" Kagome turned around and saw a couple standing slightly behind her. The man, who stood beside a woman with stylish short black hair, had hair that was incredibly the same color as Sesshoumaru's. Kagome stared at the man, who was standing sideways to her, so that she couldn't see his face. However, while this tall man had hair the same shade of platinum as Sesshoumaru, his hair was short, plus he had both his arms. The woman by his side then jokingly said, "Why yes, but dear, that's a woman's kimono!"

The couple then laughed together and walked away, holding hands. Kagome looked sadly at them as they walked away and wondered if Sesshoumaru lived, could they have been as happy as the couple she just saw.

"Honestly mama…" said Kagome softly as she faced another direction, "I'm not having a good time at all." Kagome walked around some more as she tried desperately to get Sesshoumaru out of her mind. After a while, Kagome bought an ice cream and sat on a bench in one of the walkways of the mall and began to eat her ice cream in front of a shop selling gifts and all sorts of knick-knacks. Kagome was half-way done with her ice cream when two boys ran in front of her waving plastic swords. They stopped in front of her and began to play fight. Just then in her mind, Kagome saw Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha fighting… they were probably fighting right now as she sat there eating ice cream.

Kagome placed the small paper bowl of ice cream on her lap and looked sadly at the boys, who giggled as they ran off to their mother calling for them in the distance.

"Everywhere I look," said Kagome looking down at the ice cream in the bowl, "I see Sesshoumaru..." she looked up and said, "This isn't working." Kagome got up and trying her best, she managed to finish the ice cream and walked out of the mall and decided to return home. But, on her way back, Kagome walked into Ayumi, her curly haired friend and Hojo.

"Oh, Higurashi!" said Hojo, when he had spotted Kagome.

Kagome almost winced when she saw them heading to her hand in hand. "I guess when I was away… they became a couple," she said, softly under her breath.

"Kagome-chan!" said Ayumi happily. "When did you get back?"

"Huh??" said Kagome.

"From your operations overseas?" Ayumi asked.

"Oh!" said Kagome, catching on, "A couple of days ago," said Kagome, trying hard to sound convincing despite her current glum mood.

"Oh," said Ayumi, cheerfully, "I'm so glad. Guess what Kagome-chan?" Kagome just looked cheerfully inquiring and waited for Ayumi to continue, "Hojo and I are a couple!"

Kagome raised her eyebrows and thought, '_Talk about understatement of the century!_' She then tried her best to sound and look cheerful, and said, "Oh wow, congratulations!"

"Thank you!" Ayumi spoke as she giggled.

Hojo cuddled Ayumi and then released her and said, "Yumi-chan, wanna go to our favorite place?" Ayumi giggled and answered, "Sure thing, Ho-chan!"

Kagome almost retched from hearing them speak in that manner, it was enough to get them killed by Sesshoumaru for acting that way. "Kagome-chan, want to join us?"

Kagome recoiled from them and said, "Oh, no thank you, I have to go home and take my medication!"

"Oh, okay then," said Ayumi as she and Hojo turned around and walked away, giggling and smiling at each other, while the other's arm was around the other's waist.

Kagome couldn't take it anymore; she spun around on her heels and ran as fast as her feet could take her, while her eyes began to sting with unshed tears.

'_I want to go home… home where Sesshoumaru is!_' thought Kagome as she ran in the direction where the shrine was.

'_This isn't my home anymore! I don't feel comfortable here anymore! Why? This feels so weird! Everything here feels so unnatural! Sesshoumaru… Sesshoumaru… I want to go home to where you are!_'

Everything around Kagome became a blur, as she ran and hardly noticed where she went, all she knew was she wanted to put this foreign place behind her. As she ran home, nothing she passed brought any sort of relief to her heart. She ran through a blur, a blur that was her home city that now felt strange. Kagome reached the bottom of the steps and began to run up.

"Please work for me, please work for me," Kagome chanted over and over again as she ran up the steps. "I want to go home… I want to go to where Sesshoumaru is!"

When she reached the shrine, Kagome crossed the ground and dashed up to the well house and opened the doors with a bang. She threw her bag down and ran down the steps to the well and looking down to its empty bottom, Kagome cried, "PLEASE! Please let me go home! I want to go home to Sesshoumaru, please let me see him again!"

Kagome then jumped into the well and fell down to its bottom… again… again the well did not work.

Kagome sat down at the bottom of the well and leaned her back against one of it's rough walls and said, "I guess…" said Kagome with eyes that were lifeless, "I have to begin to accept that I'll never be able to see him again…" as a stray tear rolled down her cheek, Kagome said, "Sesshoumaru…"

When Kagome finally climbed out of the well, she dusted herself off, walked up the steps to her bag, collected it and walked out of the small shrine and shut its door close, with eyes that looked absolutely empty. Everything around Kagome felt unreal and like a big blur, as she walked towards the house. When Kagome walked in, she said, "I'm back," but her voice was so soft, like an empty whisper.

No one heard her. She stood at the entrance and stared into her house. She felt that she didn't belong there anymore… and that was such a painful feeling.

Kagome kicked off her shoes and walked into the house. Asami who was in the living room saw her daughter passing by in the corridor and called out, "Oh, Kagome! I didn't hear you come in! How was your day, honey?" said Asami cheerfully, as she rushed to her daughter.

However, Asami stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Kagome turn around to her with an empty look on her face and eyes that looked like they belonged on a dead person. Her daughter's once lively eyes that were filled with energy, was now completely lifeless.

In a voice that was barely a whisper, Kagome answered, "I had… a good time… mama…" Kagome then tried to smile, but the smile hardly appeared on her features. She then turned around then went up the stairs.

Asami held her head down, and closed her eyes, saying, "Oh, Kagome…"

- - - - - -

It was after dinner, and Asami was washing the cups and plates in the sink, when Jii-chan returned to the kitchen and heard Asami sobbing as she did her work.

"Asami…" Jii-chan called out softly.

Asami sniffed loudly, before she wiped her hands dry and turned around rubbing her eyes. Jii-chan looked worriedly at her, and said, "I too am worried about Kagome… she hardly touched her food tonight… if she doesn't start eating properly soon, she's going to make herself sick."

Asami looked down at her apron and said, "I doubt that makes any difference to Kagome right now. I know how she feels."

"Yes," said Jii-chan coming up to the table and pulling a chair out and sitting down, then saying, "You went through this similar grief as well." Asami surprised jii-chan when she fell to her knees in front of him and leaned her head against his knees and in a tearful voice, said, "I never wanted them to experience this feeling of losing the person you loved the most." Jii-chan started to pet Asami's head and said, "Yes, I know it too, when my wife died, I thought my whole world had just ended." Said Jii-chan.

"It's a cruel feeling," said Jii-chan, continuing, "that one day anyone of us will feel, some of us later in our life, some earlier."

"I know…" said Asami sobbing at grandpa's knees, "when Junichiro died, half of me died with him… but the way he died, I couldn't belief at first that he was gone… that horrific airline crash… I thought for sure it was someone's sick idea of a cruel joke… but then… it was on the news and, when the airline number came out… my whole world ended then! But, I pulled myself out of my misery for the children. They were so young when he died. Souta hardly even remembers him."

"Yes… our grief came when our life partner's died." said Jii-chan, "But, for Kagome, she is grieving for someone who's still alive, but shall die in four days time. Asami… if you were in her place, what would you?"

Asami lifted her head just a little and said, "If I knew what would happen to Junichiro then… I would have done everything I could possibly think of and stopped him from boarding that flight."

"Yes…," said Jii-chan, "that's why Kagome is trying her hardest to return to the other side of that well."

"But," said Asami tearfully, "the well…isn't letting her through. The pain that Kagome must be going through, it must be horrific." Asami then leaned her head against Jii-chan's knees and, said, "I never wanted Kagome to feel this… but now… she's feeling it worst then I have ever felt. Why must she feel this at such a young age… she should be happy and in love. Not grieving, not knowing that the person you love the most is going to die and you can't do anything to stop it… I don't want Kagome to endure this pain!"

There were no words of comfort that Jii-chan could offer to ease Asami's tears, all he could do was to hold his daughter in-law as she cried her heart out.

Meanwhile, in her room, Kagome was in the midst of wearing the similar kimono she had worn the day the well stopped working, and she found out the horrible truth of the Higurashi shrine. Once she had secured the obi in a bow behind, Kagome stole quietly downstairs and snuck out of the house to the shrine. She entered the shrine through the office area and walked deep into the building and stopped short of walking into the inner sanctum, where Kagome suspected, Sesshoumaru's remains laid. Kagome sat down on the floor, by the door, and leaned against it. She placed her hand against the door, and concentrated her powers and felt what was just a brief whisper of Sesshoumaru's lingering aura that still hung around his remains.

Kagome closed her eyes sadly, and said, "So… it's true then…" She leaned her head against the door, brushing her bangs up against it, and said, "I'm sorry I didn't come back, Sesshoumaru… but I guess my words don't really matter now… 500 hundred years later. How ironic it is that I would be born to the family that lived and cared for this shrine. But how ironic it is that I would know you for almost as long as I do Inuyasha … but, I'm sorry it took me so long to love you. For the longest time I was in love with Inuyasha… that name… it brings me so much sadness now… I don't think I could ever forgive him for killing you… but now that I think about it… the pain that Inuyasha felt when Kikyo died in his arms, I know now how he's feeling, driven by grief; he couldn't part with her, even if she died happily in his arms. He's still in love with her as I am with you… even if you've been dead for over 500 years, I still love you, Sesshoumaru."

"I told you that I would teach you how to love…in the end, I hardly thought you anything, did I?" Kagome closed her eyes and said, "But that last time we were together, Sesshoumaru… you did not need me to teach you how to love, you already know how to."

"I miss you so much… Sesshoumaru… I wish our time together was longer," but as tears began to well in her eyes, Kagome said, "I want to go back to the Sengoku Jidai… to the time you were alive and stop your death… but I guess, I'm not allowed to meddle in history anymore."

And as the tears began to roll down her cheeks, she said, "It's not fair… it's not fair… why was our time together so short… we were just starting… yet the pain inside me is so deep, that it hurts so much!" But, just then, Kagome lifted her head, when she heard the pitter-patter sound of rain starting to fall outside. And as the rain started to fall harder outside, Kagome remembered the time when she met Sesshoumaru in the rain. He was taking shelter under a tree and no matter what she tried to do; he wouldn't accept the umbrella she was trying to offer him.

"That was the time," said Kagome looking up at the ceiling and listening to the sounds of the rain outside, "that I acknowledged that I had feelings for you, Sesshoumaru, especially when I looked into your golden eyes and got lost in them." Kagome leaned back against the door, and said, "I can never look into your eyes that I love so much."

"Your eyes, your hair, the softness of the fur on your tail… they were my treasures, treasures I will only see in what little memories I have of us," said Kagome as she stayed by the door and listened to the music the rain made, and there the whole night, Kagome stayed; by the door, and never leaving, feeling that it was the only way she could ever be by Sesshoumaru's side.

- - - - - -

The golden rays of the rising sun; burst through a large cloud high in the morning sky, furnishing the cloud with a golden halo. Down on the lands that started to change color from black to green, and the features of a sleepy little village came into view, it all looked like nothing bad could ever happen at this peaceful setting when the harsh cry of 'Kaze no Kizu' rang through the peaceful morning air, breaking it's peace, as a forest nearby, had its marvelous green and tall trees ripped from the ground in a single movement and reduced to mere splinters.

Debris, rained loudly down onto the path of destruction that was carved through the forest, scaring what animals remained, as murders upon murders of crows took to the morning sky, cawing loudly in protest, while other birds fled the area for their lives.

Sango, Shippou, and Jaken, who were thrown down to the ground by the force of Inuyasha's favorite move, sat up and looked around. "Where's Sesshoumaru?" Sango asked as she looked around for the regal Taiyoukai. Jaken, fearing for his master's life, jumped up and ran past Sango and Shippou looking wildly around for his master, who stabbed his sword, Tokijin in the ground and pulled himself up to stand.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" said Jaken, with relief.

CHINK!

Sesshoumaru looked down at his sword and noticed that there was a crack that ran across the blade of the sword.

"ARGH!" Said Jaken, fearfully, "My lord, your sword… it has a crack in it!"

"That's not good," said Sango, "if he continues to fight… the sword will surely break, it definitely won't stand up to another powerful attack from Inuyasha."

"Be quiet!" said Jaken, "Don't say such things!"

"Sango," said Shippou, looking up at her, "we should go and see if Miroku has finished building the well."

"Yes," said Sango, "if Kagome-chan doesn't come back soon… I fear that this fight will take a bad turn for Sesshoumaru." Quickly, Sango got to her feet and with Shippou jumping onto her shoulder, she ran towards the well, where Miroku and Kirara were. In their wake, they left Jaken alone, to witness the fight between the two brothers.

"Hey," said Inuyasha, sounding smug, "your sword just cracked, you wanna stop so you can go and fix it?"

"There's no need too," said Sesshoumaru, pulling Tokijin from the earth.

"Keh!" said Inuyasha, "Doesn't matter to me… this will make killing you easier!"

- - - - -

Kagome was late in getting up that morning, so Asami went up stairs to her daughter's bedroom. She had knocked on the door, but there was no response of 'who is it?' or 'come in,' that came from her knock. Asami began to worry and opened the door and walked into the room to find it devoid of her daughter. In fact, the bed looked hardly slept in. "Oh Kagome!" said Asami as she ran out of the door and down the stairs to the kitchen where Jii-chan and Souta were seating. When she came into the kitchen, looking like something horrible had happened, they turned to her and asked what was wrong, and Asami answered, "Kagome is missing!"

Both Jii-chan and Souta stood up at once, and at the same time, they said, "What?"

Asami caught her breath and said, "She's not in her room and her bed looked hardly slept in." Both grandfather and grandson looked at each other, both exchanging stunned looks. "Quickly," said Asami, "we have to search the grounds for her!"

"All right," said both Jii-chan and Souta as they quickly left the kitchen. Asami untied her apron and headed out the kitchen door and asked herself, "If I was grieving like Kagome… where would I go to seek solace?" Then she saw the main shrine complex and stopped, and said, "I would go to see the only one who can take my grief away… and the only person capable of taking Kagome's grief away would be Sesshoumaru." Asami then ran towards the shrine and entered the building through one of the ceremonial halls. She looked all over the place, but Asami's guess was right when she found Kagome asleep at the door into the inner sanctum of the shrine.

Asami let out a breath of relief and walked up to her daughter, she then bent down to shake her awake, saying, "Kagome… Kagome, wake up!"

Kagome opened her eyes and looked up at her mother's face, which had a relieved look on it. "Mama…" said Kagome groggily, "I guess I fell asleep here… I'm sorry, but I just wanted to be near Sesshoumaru."

Asami sat away and looked sadly at her daughter; she wished for some way that she could take Kagome's grief away. Asami's eyes opened wide as an idea struck her mind. She stood up, turned around and ran away. Asami came running out of the shrine and almost knocked into poor Jii-chan. Apologizing, Asami quickly told Jii-chan that Kagome was at the inner sanctum of the shrine, and asked him to get her out, and then hastily left him standing at the doors of the shrine hall looking, puzzled.

- - - - - -

When Sango and Shippou reached the well it was to see Miroku hard at work in fitting the last piece to the newly completed well. "Ah!" said Sango, happily, "Houshi-sama, you're done!"

"Almost!" said Miroku. "Hey, Sango…" Miroku called out.

"Yes?" Sango replied.

"If we're going to get married… then, I would like you to address me by my name, rather then my title."

Sango blushed a bright shade of magenta and, said, "Oh… I'm sorry, Hou…Mi-Miroku."

"There!" said Miroku happily, making Sango to stare at him in surprise, and further blushing, "It's done!" Sango's blush disappeared, as she let out a sigh of relief and walked up to him. Shippou jumped away from Sango's shoulder and ran to well by himself and looked down into it and said, "Wow, Miroku, this is really good work, I think it's stronger then before!"

Miroku smiled at Shippou and said, "Thanks," but just then, the three of them, turned around in horror as the sounds of trees breaking apart came towards them. But, what they saw coming towards them, made their blood turn cold. "IT'S KAZE NO KIZU!" Shippou screamed.

Miroku stepped forward and stabbed his staff into the ground, then he pulled three o-fudas out of his robes, and threw it at his staff and began to recite a mantra that created a powerful barrier, which encompassed the well and him, Sango, Shippou and Kirara.

When Kaze no Kizu's blast came forth, it destroyed everything… except what was protected by Miroku's barrier. Once the blast died down, Miroku pulled his barrier down and looked around. All the lush green grass in the clearing was gone except what was in his barrier, the trees were left in mangled bits and chunks here and there, while three more large gashes in the ground marked the earth.

"What's Inuyasha doing?" Miroku angrily asked out loud. "Was he trying to kill us as well?"

Suddenly, Sango gasped loudly and said, "Oh no! I hope Sesshoumaru avoided that move rather then defend against it!"

Miroku turned to her, looking alarmed and asked, "Why Sango, what do you mean?"

"Tokijin cracked as a result of the previous attack!" said Sango.

Miroku's eyes went wide, as he said, "That's not good, come on!" Shippou quickly jumped up Miroku and climbed to his shoulder, while Sango picked Kirara up and held the cute little youkai cat in her arms as she followed Miroku back to where Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were.

- - - - - -

Asami stopped in front of the well house, clutching a stitch in her side. But, still clutching her side, she walked up to the doors and slid one open and walked to the top of the steps, staring at the well. Asami took a deep breath and, descended the steps to where the well laid silently.

When she stood in front of the well, Asami placed her hand on the lip of the well and stared down into its dark abyss, and said, "PLEASE!" she then heard her voice echoing back to her, "Please," Asami repeated again, "I beg you… please send Kagome back to the Sengoku jidai where Sesshoumaru is!"

Asami thought herself foolish, the well couldn't hear her, it was just an inanimate object that couldn't understand people's feelings… but it was something that seemed able to take Kagome back 500 years in the past. "I can't stand it," said Asami, "I can't stand watching my daughter like this! Please send her back to where Sesshoumaru is and allow her to do what I couldn't!" All Asami heard was the echo of her voice bouncing off the bottom of the well.

"I know you are not an ordinary well! Most wells provide water, but you bring the bones of dead youkais to modern times and take my daughter back to the past! You always did! Even without my permission, you just took her away one day! But now, when she truly wants to return there! YOU STOP WORKING! STOP BEING SELFISH!" Asami shouted into the well.

"People's lives are precious; we aren't toys in a game that you can control! Right now," said Asami, fiercely at the well, "I'm giving you my permission to take my daughter to the place she wants to be! I don't care if that changes history, or if that means this shrine will cease to exist! Please, I'm begging you; help my daughter save the man she loves!"

Asami sank to her knees before the well and said, "I'm begging you, I'll give you anything if you'll just work for just this one time. Even if… if Kagome gets stuck on that side… it doesn't matter, as she'll be happy, I know Sesshoumaru will protect her and, keep her safe. Though I have never met him, somehow I just know that he will do that. So please," said Asami softly, as she pushed her self up on the lip of the well and looked down into it's depths, "work, even if it's just for this once. Kagome has an opportunity to change history and safe the person she loves the most. Something I could never do." Without her knowing, Asami began to cry, her tears rolling down her face and falling into the well.

"Please…" said Asami tearfully, "please, work again and send my daughter Kagome to the place she wants to be. I beg you." Asami closed her eyes, as more of her tears fell from her face and dropped to the bottom of the Bone Eaters well.

All of a sudden, a blue glow appeared at the bottom of the well, surprising Asami and halting her tears. The blue glow rose up and suddenly, a woman's voice, that sounded booming, spoke from deep within the blue glow, saying, "Higurashi Asami… I shall grant your wish in exchange for the payment you have bestowed."

"Payment?" Asami asked the voice coming from the blue glow.

"Your tears were your payment." The voice answered.

"My tears…" said Asami in awe.

"However," said the voice, "there is a condition."

"What is it?" Asami asked, sounding anxious.

"Once your daughter, Kagome, passes through time, she shall not be able to return to this era using me. This shall be the last time I will be able to function." Asami gasped, that was indeed a heavy condition.

"Do you agree… it was after all a term you spoke yourself," said the voice from the well.

"Yes…" said Asami looking at her hands on the lip of the well, "I did say that."

"Do you agree to the condition?" The well asked her again.

Asami stayed silent, and asked herself, could she really stand not being able to see Kagome ever again? Asami gripped the lip of the well, as part of her heart said no, while another part said, if that made Kagome happy, then so be it. "But…" said Asami, softly to herself, "I said it myself just now… didn't I? I said '_if Kagome gets stuck on that side… it doesn't matter, as she'll be happy_' am I going to go back on my words?" Asami asked herself as she smiled and pushed herself up. She looked down into the blue light and sighed, and said, "I knew this day would be coming… the day I give my daughter up to the man who would take care of her… I just never considered that it could have come so soon."

"Is that your decision then?" the booming voice from within the well asked.

"Yes," said Asami, "I agree to the conditions."

"Then," said the booming voice coming through the well, "I shall stay open for a while, fetch your daughter with haste Higurashi Asami, or I shall close and your daughter shall stay in this era forevermore."

"No, please," said Asami, begging the well, "Please stay open till she goes through!" However, there came no answer from the well. Quickly, Asami dashed up the steps and ran out of the well house towards the shrine as quickly as she could go. When Asami got to the shrine, she saw Jii-chan and Kagome walking out of the hall, with Jii-chan trying to cheer Kagome up by telling her that he was going to treat her to Wacdonalds. However, Asami, ran up to her daughter and without saying anything, pulled her away and started running with her daughter in tow, towards the well house.

"Mama?" Kagome inquired, she was wondering what was wrong with her mother.

However, Asami, breathlessly answered, "The well has opened!" Kagome gasped and quickened her pace to the well house where she and her mother entered the building at the same time. When Kagome stood at the top of the steps, she was surprised to see the well glowing blue. But before Kagome could feel any excitement, her mother pulled her down to the well and said, "Kagome, listen to me very carefully. Right now you have to make a decision that will change your life forever."

"Mama?" Kagome asked, not knowing where her mother was going.

"Kagome, I made a wish and the well has granted it by opening its self for you, but now listen Kagome this is very important, you can only use this well once, meaning if you go there now, you can never return home again using this well."

Kagome looked at her mother and said, "Its okay mama… I'll get over Sesshoumaru, I'll stay here."

"No!" said Asami and this surprised Kagome, who said, "But mama, this is my time, I belong here with you, with Souta and Jii-chan, this is my home."

"Are you sure?" Asami asked, "Are you sure you are willing to let Sesshoumaru die, just for that?" Again, Kagome stared at her mother and thought why couldn't she have both her family and the man she loved. "If you are willing to let the man you love die just to be a good daughter and stay by your family's side, then you are not my daughter!" Kagome's eyes went wide, she couldn't believe her mother had just said that to her. "If I had a chance to go back in time and save your father I would! I would have given anything to have saved him. Kagome, let me ask you something, can you love any man here in this time the same way you love Sesshoumaru? I you say yes, then stand here and watch the light from this well fade away, knowing you had a chance to save Sesshoumaru but didn't and allowed him to die."

"But," said Kagome, "wouldn't you think me selfish if I left you and everyone here just to be by Sesshoumaru's side?"

"No," Asami answered, "Every woman does that in her life when she marries the man she loves. She usually leaves her family to live with him and make their lives anew by creating their own family." Asami placed her hand through the long locks of her daughter's hair and, said, "Every woman knows that when you have a daughter, you have to eventually give her up, that's why mothers always treasure their daughters the most."

"Mama…" said Kagome smiling at her mother, and at that point, Asami knew her daughter had made her choice. "Kagome," said Asami softly, "promise me you'll make a good wife to Sesshoumaru. Always be by his side and support his decisions, remember a good marriage is all about give and take, but don't make the mistake and give too much otherwise one of you will come to take advantage of the other and end up hurting each other. My dear daughter… now… go and do what I couldn't and save the man you love, stop him from dying."

Kagome placed her hand over the Shikon jewel in her kimono, and said, "I will," and then Kagome hugged her mother for the last time and said, "Mama… I will always love you."

Asami hugged her daughter tightly, and replied, "And I will always love you too Kagome, you will always be in my heart." They pulled away from each other, and Kagome sat on the edge of the well and pushed her legs around into the well; then Kagome turned and gazed at her mother for one final time, and said, "G-good…bye."

"Farewell…" said Asami.

Kagome turned around and painfully pushed herself from the lip of the well and into it, right into the awaiting blue light. The well flashed brightly and then, without warning, the light disappeared. Asami wondered what had happened and ran to the well and looked down into it; the blue glow had vanished and so did Kagome, with the light. Asami breathed a sigh of relief and sunk to her knees, and softly, she uttered, "Kagome…"

- - - - - -

When Kagome landed at the bottom of the well, she landed on rubble; on broken pieces of planks. "What the?" Kagome asked, as she stared at the condition at the bottom of the well, "What's been happening here since I was away?" Kagome took off her slippers and tucked them into the folds of her kimono; she then began to climb up the well. When Kagome reached the top, she didn't prepare herself for the sight that greeted her. She gasped loudly when she saw the destruction around the well. Kagome pulled her self up and hitched her kimono up, as she climbed out of the well. When she was finally out, she threw her slippers down and slipped her feet in as she stared at the ground; it was almost completely devoid of the lovely and lush green grass that grew in the clearing around the well. The trees that surrounded the clearing, were all either broken in half, like a giant came out of no where to snap the tops of the trees, or they were ripped right out of the ground. Kagome then saw the telltale signs on the ground of who was responsible for all this mindless destruction. "These marks… they're from Kaze no Kizu… That idiot Inuyasha, I am going to sit him so much that he won't be able to get up for at least a day once I'm through with him."

"KONGOUSOUHA!" Inuyasha's voice echoed through the trees.

Kagome stared into the forest with horror when she heard Inuyasha shout out one of his moves that usually killed any of his opponents he used it on. As Kagome took a step forward, she saw a bright flash of light, and proceeding that, a loud explosion, and then the sound of metal snapping. For some strange reason, that sound sent fear coursing through Kagome's heart. She quickly ran towards place the sound had originated from.

Her path to the battle was marred by destruction, but it guided her straight to where the battle between the two brothers was taking place. As Kagome drew nearer, she heard Jaken shouting, "Sesshoumaru-sama! No more please, stop fighting, you lost your sword! Please stop my lord, if you continue, you'll surely die!"

"No…" said Kagome as she ran even faster, and as she came to a high bank, she stood there and saw the two brother's clearly. Kagome gasped when she saw the condition Sesshoumaru was in. His long platinum hair was out of place, his clothes, stained with his blood that was pouring from a wound he had in his middle. His armor was broken, and the sleeve of the arm that was severed, was missing. She saw Sesshoumaru stand up, but then fall to his knees and to the ground, as he continued to bleed profusely.

Kagome then saw Inuyasha laugh, as he walked to his brother with Tessaiga raised. "Sesshoumaru," said Inuyasha, "Go to hell!"

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Kagome screamed loudly from the top of the bank she stood on.

Immediately, everyone's attention was turned to her.

"Kagome-sama!" said Miroku happily, "She's return… and wow that is one fetching Kimono!" But Sango pulled on his ear and said, "I hope Inuyasha did not hear you say that!"

Inuyasha turned around and happily, he looked at Kagome, looking absolutely stunning in the pure red kimono she wore with that rather wide looking obi. "Kagome… you've returned to me!" said Inuyasha.

Kagome looked at Inuyasha and knew she had to do something to subdue him or he'll kill Sesshoumaru. "OSUWARI!" Kagome shouted, and Inuyasha plunged head first into the ground with Tessaiga falling down to the ground and transforming into a normal sword. Kagome dashed down the bank and ran past Inuyasha and to Sesshoumaru, when she fell down in front of him and hugged him, despite the fact that he was still bleeding.

"Kagome," said Sesshoumaru, over Jaken's shouts of, "You filthy human, how dare you touch lord Sesshoumaru, get away from him!"

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru," said Kagome, completely ignoring Jaken, who continued, saying, "Hey, are you listening to me? How dare you put yourself in such close proximity of my master!" However, over Jaken's fruitless complaining, Kagome said, "I came back so late, but the well wouldn't let me come back!"

"I know," said Sesshoumaru weakly, as his bleeding finally stopped, "the useless bum over there destroyed it." Kagome turned around to see Inuyasha trying to get up. Harshly, Kagome shouted, "OSUWARI!"

BOOM went Inuyasha as he went back down to the ground.

"Ah!" said Jaken completely stunned by his lord's behavior towards Kagome, "Sesshoumaru-sama, why are you entertaining that human wench." But the moment, Jaken uttered the word 'wench' Sango and Miroku proceeded to shut the little imp in a rather… painful way.

"Oh Sesshoumaru… have you been fighting all this while?" Kagome asked as she gazed tenderly at the one she loved the most. "Yes," Sesshoumaru answered, "it was necessary, it was to protect the priest as he rebuilt the well so you could return to me, my love." Kagome moved towards Sesshoumaru and rested her head against his right shoulder; his long, white and fluffy tail was currently resting on the ground. Sesshoumaru wrapped his right arm around Kagome and held her close, and said, "This Sesshoumaru is glad that you have returned. I have missed you greatly."

"And so have I… Sesshoumaru," said Kagome softly, so only Sesshoumaru could hear.

"Come," said Sesshoumaru, "let us leave this place so I can heal in peace." Kagome sat away and smiled at Sesshoumaru, and said, "Sure… but first there is something I need to say to someone here." Kagome then stood up and turned around and faced Inuyasha, who was again trying to stand up.

This time, Kagome allowed him to stand, and as he did, Inuyasha turned around and said, "Darn it, Kagome, what was that for?"

"What was that for?" Kagome yelled at him, "Look around you! You have destroyed so much of this forest."

Inuyasha looked around and was shocked, it was as if he did not comprehend the destruction he was inflicting on the forest around him. He seemed guilty and unable to speak, before he said, "Well… I-I had no choice… I was fighting Sesshoumaru after all!"

Kagome placed her hands on her hips and asked, "And why were you fighting with Sesshoumaru?"

Inuyasha glared at her and answered, "You know damn well why. Kagome, I will not let Sesshoumaru have you. You belong to me, you're Kikyo, you share her soul; you belong to me."

That got Kagome as mad as a swarm of hornets, "Listen you," said Kagome gritting her teeth and trying to control her anger that was beyond boiling point underneath, and said, "I'm going to say this, it's very important, so listen carefully." The only reason why Kagome had contained her anger, was that she remembered her mother's words and the promise she had made earlier to her. "I am Kagome, I am not Kikyo. I maybe Kikyo's reincarnation and my soul was hers, but I am myself. I am not Kikyo, and I most certainly do not belong to you."

"But," said Inuyasha looking lost, "You and Kikyo are the same. You both look the same, you both smell the same, you both fell in love with me, you…" that was all that Inuyasha managed to say before Kagome cried out, "We're not the same!" However, Sesshoumaru surprised everyone, when he stood up, and moved to Kagome's side, and looking at his brother said, "You… really are an idiot!"

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Inuyasha shouted angrily at his brother.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, and then opened them again and said, "Anyone who has seen both Kagome and your miko would say… they look nothing alike… though there is a slight resemblance. Inuyasha," said Sesshoumaru addressing his younger brother by his name; a first, since he usually addressed Inuyasha as, bug. "Kikyo is dead… she has been since 50 years ago, what died in your arms, was her, yes, but she was never truly alive in the first place. What you are doing… isn't it considered a betrayal to her memory? You should grief, and mourn her loss; it was something you could not do when she sealed you 50 years ago."

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru, she couldn't belief that he had said that, but what he said, was correct. Kagome supported Sesshoumaru to stand, and looking back at Inuyasha, her voice was kind, as she said, "Inuyasha… you are right… like Kikyo, I did love you, but… you always pushed me away, but, I'm not angry at you for doing that, I always knew that the person you truly loved was Kikyo, but I always wanted to be by your side because I found that I liked being your friend better. Inuyasha you are my friend, and I love you as my friend, but please stop what you are doing, isn't this place full of memories of Kikyo? Are you sure you want to destroy it?"

"But," said Inuyasha feeling confused, "I'm not destroying this forest, I'm trying to kill," he pointed the non-transformed Tessaiga at Sesshoumaru, and said, "him!"

"Because," said Kagome calmly, "you think that if you killed Sesshoumaru, I would be in love with you again?"

"Yes!" said Inuyasha.

Kagome looked sadly at Inuyasha and said, "Inuyasha… Naraku killed Kikyo didn't he?"

Again, Inuyasha answered yes, "So, don't you hate him because he killed Kikyo, the woman you loved. So Inuyasha, how can I fall back in love with you, if you killed Sesshoumaru, whom I love dearly with all my heart?" Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome and smiled at her; no one has ever called him dear, nor has ever said that they loved him with all their heart. When Jaken heard Kagome's words, he opened his mouth, but no sound came out of it. So he closed it, but again he opened it and tried to say something, but he could not get a single syllable to leave his mouth, so he decided not to say anything, fearing the priest and the slayer would pound him into the ground again.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome, stunned. He then looked at his brother and for the first time since he began fighting him, he looked into Sesshoumaru's eyes and saw no malice, hate or coldness that was usually present in his eyes. "Hey, Kagome…" said Inuyasha, "you really love this guy that much?"

"Yes," Kagome answered, "that and much more."

Inuyasha stared at Kagome and saw the shikon jewel glowing brightly under her red kimono. Inuyasha can't remember the last time he saw the jewel shining that brightly, but then he recalled one time, when Kikyo was still alive, she had taken him into the shrine, where the jewel was kept, and he remembered seeing the jewel glowing brightly in Kikyo's hands. It was then that Inuyasha understood something… the jewel glowed that brightly because the miko guarding it was in love… and the man in love with her was there in front of her.

"Hey," said Inuyasha to his brother.

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Do you really love Kagome as much as she does for you?" Inuyasha asked as he looked away.

Sesshoumaru stared at Inuyasha for a moment before he said, "Yes… Kagome," he spoke as he turned and looked at Kagome, "is the only creature for whom this heart of mine beats for. I would not battle so long for any other… if needed, I shall do battle for a hundred days if it meant it would keep her safe." Though Inuyasha looked away, his eyes widen in shock, he did not think he would hear such words being uttered by of all person's Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru's words were Inuyasha's exact feelings for Kikyo… Inuyasha hated to admit it, but, Sesshoumaru really and truly loved Kagome. "Keh!" said Inuyasha as he turned around and pulled Tessaiga's scabbard out of his hakama straps. He sheathed his sword and turning around with his head held down, he walked towards Kagome and Sesshoumaru and suddenly held Tessaiga towards Sesshoumaru and said, "Here, for you!"

Both Kagome and Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha, who continued, saying, "Your Tokijin is broken… you'll need a good sword to protect Kagome. The old man made this sword to protect my mother who was human. You'll need it to protect Kagome."

"The sword," said Sesshoumaru, "is yours, it seals your youkai blood from taking over your mind."

"Keh!" said Inuyasha, "won't need this sword any more, Naraku's dead, the Shikon no Tama is whole, I ain't fighting no more, you on the other hand, your fight just started." Inuyasha then pushed Tessaiga to his brother and said, "Take it, I don't need it anymore."

But just as Sesshoumaru reached for the sword, he coughed up blood and fell to the ground. Kagome fell to the ground beside him and pull Sesshoumaru up onto her lap and looked at him, he looked so weak and in pain. "Sesshoumaru?" said Kagome softly to him. As Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Jaken came up to the three of them, Sesshoumaru said, "My body… it isn't healing." Kagome's eyes went wide, while Inuyasha said, "Wait a minute, I'm hanyou and even my body would be healing by now, you're pure youkai! Why isn't your body healing by now?"

"Easy… fool… my lifespan is coming to an end." Said Sesshoumaru with a smile, shocking everybody.

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked. "You're not more then what? 760 years old?"

"Fool!" said Sesshoumaru coughing up more blood, "I was 760 the year our father died."

"Wait a minute," said Inuyasha, stunned, "Then… that would make you more then 960 years old? But that can't be… you look so young."

"Even father," said Sesshoumaru, "Looked young when he passed."

Suddenly, Sango said, "Youkais live only 1000 years and not more."

Tears fell from Kagome's eyes, she had come back to the Sengoku Jidai, she was able to stop Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru from fighting, but… it looked like she couldn't stop Sesshoumaru from dying. "No," said Kagome, as she bent down to Sesshoumaru and placed her head against his, and saying softly into his silver hair, "you can't die, you can't… I decided, I decided that I would spend my life with you, you can't die… I finally came back."

Softly, Sesshoumaru said, "Kagome…I'm glad that you've come back, I wanted to see your face again, I wanted to see you again."

"It's not fair," said Kagome, "It's not fair, I want to be by your side longer then I have been allowed to." Sesshoumaru held her hand and said, "I'm sorry... Kagome… it seems all I have brought to you is misery." However, Kagome did not answer him and instead, she gripped the shikon jewel in her other hand and said, "Please, please save him, I know I made a wish on you before to help me save Sesshoumaru, but please, please grant it. I love him and I want to have a life with him, to be with him everyday. I don't care if he is youkai, I love him, so please, save Sesshoumaru and allow us to live together!" One of Kagome's tear drops, landed on the jewel, while in her heart, Kagome made another wish; a wish to introduce Sesshoumaru to her mother.

All of a sudden, Inuyasha, Sango, Kirara, Miroku, Jaken and Shippou, found themselves flying through the air as a bright light came forth and enveloped both Sesshoumaru and Kagome in sphere of white light.

In side the sphere of light, Kagome held on to Sesshoumaru's hand tightly as a miko with long black hair, materialized in front the both of them. "I am Midoriko." Kagome gasped and said, "You're the miko who created the Shikon no Tama!"

"Yes," Midoriko answered, "Finally, I have heard a wish that is worth granting."

Kagome's head shot up, as she said, "You're going to save Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes," Midoriko answered, "So you may present him to your mother."

"Huh?" Kagome asked.

Midoriko looked at her and said, "The wish I choose to grant is for you to present Sesshoumaru to your mother. I shall give you both lives and youth to live to the time you come from Kagome, then after you have presented Sesshoumaru to your mother, my powers shall cease and the both of you will age as the rest around you do and then die."

"You can do that?" Kagome asked, unable to belief what she has just heard.

"Yes," Midoriko answered. She held her hand up, and said, "Sesshoumaru, lord of the West, you shall live longer than any youkai, and all your wounds shall now heal and I shall restore the arm that was lost, and to you Kagome, you shall age no more after you come to your twentieth year. From then, your youth and age shall stay with you until you meet your mother again. Sesshoumaru as usual, you shall choose how you age."

When Sesshoumaru's wounds were healed and his left arm restored, Midoriko vanished, so did the light and the Shikon no Tama. The rest were hardly affected by the time that passed for Sesshoumaru and Kagome inside the sphere of light. For those outside the sphere it was only an instant, for Sesshoumaru and Kagome, it seemed quite a long time.

Inuyasha saw Sesshoumaru's restored arm and almost fainted. When the shock of seeing Sesshoumaru completely healed and his left arm returned, Kagome and Sesshoumaru explained to the others what had happened in the flash of light. Everyone was surprised, they couldn't believe that Midoriko herself had come to grant Kagome's wish. Sesshoumaru, now being able to hold Tessaiga without the sword burning his hand, accepted his brother's sword as his own. After that, Inuyasha, and the other's plus a reluctant Jaken, left Sesshoumaru and Kagome who were seated under the Go-Shimboku.

Sesshoumaru was seated on the ground, with Kagome on his lap and resting her head on his shoulder, his both arms around what was his. "Sesshoumaru," said Kagome softly, "I can never go back home to where I came from."

"Why is that?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"That was the last time the well would function, I can't use it to return to my time." Said Kagome.

Sesshoumaru gazed at her and asked, "Did you know that it would be the last time the well would work?"

"Yes," Kagome answered.

"Then, why did you come?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Kagome looked at him and said, "Because I wanted to be by your side."

Sesshoumaru was surprised by what she said, and spoke, saying, "But your mother…" Kagome placed a finger on his lips to hush him, then said, "My mother was the one who told me it was okay to come here… and she said it knowing she could never see me again."

"I see," said Sesshoumaru smiling, "and we have how many hundred years to live together?" he asked.

"Umm… about 500 years," Kagome answered as she found herself being lowered to the ground by Sesshoumaru who remained on the top, and said, "That's a long time… where do we start?"

"I don't know." Kagome answered.

"Then let me begin," said Sesshoumaru, he then leaned down to her and asked, "Kagome, will you become my mate?" Kagome widened her eyes at him, as she said the only word that came into her brain, "Huh?"

"My apologies," said Sesshoumaru rather gallantly, "You humans have a different term for it, let me rephrase my question. Kagome, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife and will you be by my side for the rest of our lives?"

Kagome's eyes sparkled as she smiled and looked deep into his golden eyes and immediately became lost in their depths. Finally, she answered, "Yes."

Sesshoumaru then leaned down and kissed her under the shade of the Go-Shimboku, where they were left to themselves.

The End.

* * *

Yes, my dear readers; this is where In The Rain ends.

Now, a lot of you must be wondering, 'Hey Advi, who were the couple that Kagome saw at the mall?' well to answer that question, the couple that Kagome saw in the mall was the future Sesshoumaru and Kagome. Yup, the tall guy with short silver hair was Sesshoumaru in the future and his lady companion with the stylish short black hair was Kagome. I decided to give them new hair styles because… hey think about it, who wants to live for over 500 years with the same hair style?

Oh, I gave Kagome's almost non-existent dad a name here. I actually took his name from the former Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi. I liked that guy, he had a cool hairstyle!

Oh yes, before I forget, thank you so much to Cindygirl for proofing this chapter. I know without her help it would have taken longer to crank this chapter out.

Now, I know a lot of you must be asking, but did Kagome and Sesshoumaru have children?

My answer: hey that's up to your imagination!

I'm leaving the ending the way it is as a tribute to the creator of the series, Rumiko Takahashi. You know what I'm talking about if you've read her other stories.

I will not be writing a sequel to In The Rain as I do not have the time to. But I'm not going to quit writing for Fanfiction either. My next story will be the much awaited sequel to Traveling with Sesshoumaru, the Rin and Inuyasha fic, which I will start to post once I have completed proofing my novel.

Wish me luck!

Advi.


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